Draco Malfoy's Newfound Protection
by G0thicRainbows
Summary: Raven Mancer is the daughter of a magically powerful Pure-Blood family with a hidden past. She transfers to Hogwarts to start her first year as a 6th year. Draco Malfoy has never known what it's like to have a friend or be in love. What happens when these two meet? ((Being rewritten..))
1. Chapter 1

((Hello, welcome to Chapter 1 of Draco Malfoy's Newfound Protection. My very first fanfiction since 2014.))

((This story is kept as canon as possible regardless of any changes to canon content. I use my own fanon content.))

((I may include lines from the books to fill in parts of classes or events. Those will be modified slightly to fit Raven's POV depending on the line itself.))

((Notice: This entire story is being rewritten to improve everything. For now, if you find this chapter rather boring, feel free to skip through the chapters as they get better as the chapters pass. I promise the rewrite will be better, but you can skip to Chapter 25 and read the author's note on the bottom for info on the rewrite.))

((Anyway, enough of this long author's note. Please review and I hope you all enjoy.))

 **\- -Chapter 1: It begins- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Sunday, September 1, 1996- -At King's Cross Station- -**

Today is the big day. I am starting my first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but I will in Sixth Year according to Professor Dumbledore. I was home schooled back home, but my family decided that homeschooling isn't enough and after contacting Professor Dumbledore, he said I could transfer if I were to move to Britain, so here I am.

I am currently at King's Cross Station, looking for the gateway to Platform 9 3/4 with my Mother and Father. This place was packed with muggles, some were walking casually while others were running in a rush. It took a good ten minutes just to get to the Platform. The Hogwarts Express was beautiful and I couldn't suppress the grin that formed in excitement.

I looked over at Mother and Father happily as they urged me to it. "Good luck Raven. Owl us when you arrive and let us know what House you are sorted into!" Mother beamed, smiling happily.

"Work hard Raven. I know you will exceed in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Make me proud." said Father.

I nodded, grinning ear to ear. "I will Mother, Father." I said and hugged them both before leaving to get on the train. They both waved as I got on.

Upon entering the train, I walked around to find a compartment, but many were already full. I kept searching for a good three minutes and entered a different looking compartment, a few people looked up at me as I walked around and spotted an empty seat that was on my left.

I immediately sat down and noticed a few were looking at me, specifically three people that sat to my right at the other side. First was a male with a pale, pointed face, platinum blonde hair and striking silver eyes. The other was a dark skinned male with black hair and brown eyes. Lastly, a female with a pug-like face, black hair, and light skin, she did not look very pleased to see me.

I saw no signs of my friends I met in Diagon Alley and assumed they were in a compartment that I might have missed during my search for an open seat. I hummed softly and gazed out the window as the train began leaving the Platform.

The train ride wasn't so bad after the first few hours, but I was quickly getting bored and rather annoyed as the pug-faced girl kept shooting glares at me every ten minutes. Ignoring her didn't seem to lessen the glares and I was beginning to lose my patience with her. I did not want to deal with conflict on the first day.

Another ten minutes passed and yet again I was glared at. Sighing in annoyance, I turned to face her. "Is there a problem? Why are you glaring at me?" I asked.

She narrowed her eyes. "You are in the Slytherin compartment, you don't belong here." she replied in a disgusted tone.

"The other compartments were full and I do not recall being told that there are compartments that are meant only for those of a certain Hogwarts House." I defended.

"There are plenty of other compartments that are free, you just didn't look good enough." she spat.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance. "Look, I do not want any trouble here. Can you just deal with me being in this compartment. No one else is complaining about my presence, so why are you?" I asked, looking at her. She only seemed to get angrier and her nose wrinkled.

"Just get out and find a different place to sit before I hex you!" she shrieked, making me wince at the high pitch. Things are escalating quickly.

I exhaled and rubbed my right temple. "Ok, I have done nothing wrong and yet I am threatened? How charming." I grumbled and looked away. If she was going to act like a four year old, then I have no business in dealing with her.

She seemed to be rather irritated with me ignoring her as she began ranting to the boys sitting with her. I mentally shook my head and pulled out my drawing notebook with my black feather quill and ink. Drawing always helped me relax and I was eager to finish one of my works.

Time seemed to pass by quicker while drawing. I had noticed that another couple hours had passed, so I went to change into my robes like everyone else had begun doing. When I came back however, I spotted the pug-face girl going through my drawing notebook, the two boys trying to stop her, but she ignored them.

Anger surged through me and I walked up to her and folded my arms. "Excuse me, but what gives you the right to sort through my belongings?" I asked heatedly.

She glared at me, holding my notebook. "I have every right to do what I want to those who are a threat." she spat and opened my notebook, her eyes scanning the completed drawings. "Raven Mancer? That's your name? No wonder I didn't recognize you, you aren't from Britain are you? Are you some filthy little mudblood?"

I snatched my notebook from her hands in anger. Not only is she rude, but she's saying such crude things towards Muggle-borns. "Yes and I'm Pure-Blood for your information. I'm starting my first year here as a sixth year and I suggest you stop touching my belongings and mind your own business!" I warned.

She let out a huff and left back to her seat. I checked my bag to make sure she didn't steal anything and to my relief, nothing was stolen. I grabbed my wand (elm wood, phoenix feather core, 12 3/4 inches, unbending flexibility, black in color with the handle having vine and leaf carvings) and set it in my robes. Of course I made the terrible mistake of leaving it in the open.

Once the train finally slowed to a stop at Hogsmead Station, I got up and left the compartment. Upon stepping off the train, I heard a man yelling for first years so I walked over. I had been told by Professor Dumbledore that I'd being going with the first years to Hogwarts. A bit awkward, but it'll be worth it I'm sure.

Some of the first years looked at me and even asked why I was going them as we went to the boats. I laughed softly in embarrassment and explained to them that I was a transfer student and that I was told to go with the first years. They nodded, although some giggled at the prospect of an older student going with them. I agreed at how silly it would be entering Hogwarts with them during the Sorting Ceremony, I was taller than many of them and stood out quite a bit.

Seeing Hogwarts in person was amazing. The moon was out and it shined down on the lake, the water was very smooth, almost like glass. I smiled widely at the sight. Hogwarts was huge and the thought of how anyone can find their way around amazes me.

 **\- -Timeskip to the Sorting Ceremony- -**

The first years and I all entered the Great Hall. I felt my cheeks flush red with embarrassment as many of the older students stared at me. I heard some whispering to each other, many asking why I was with the first years. Some correctly guessing that I was a transfer student.

We all gathered in the front as Professor McGonagall stood by a stool with a tattered old hat on it. What I did not expect was for it to sing. The song was rather ominous.

Once the song ended, Professor McGonagall spoke, "Now when I call your name, you will sit on the stool and the Sorting Hat will be placed on your head and you will be sorted into your House." she explained and began calling names. I watched as each first year got sorted, soon enough, she paused and spoke, "We have a transfer student who will be starting as a sixth year. Mancer, Raven!" She called and I went up and sat on the stool and felt the Hat be placed on my head.

"Hmm, interesting mind. You have great potential. There's determination, ambition..resourcefulness..loyalty, oh yes, courage. Daughter of a powerful family..I know just the house for you, it will help on your way to greatness.." the Hat said in my head before yelling, "SLYTHERIN!"

The Hat was removed from my head as the Slytherin table clapped and I got up, walking to them. Upon arriving at the table, I noticed the three from the train at the table. Oh boy, this may be a fun year with the pug-face girl being here. I sat down and watched the rest of the first years get sorted. After that, food appeared on the table and I helped myself to some chicken and vegetables.

While I ate, I looked around and saw one of my friends, Midnight Bloodstone, looking at me with a smile. I smiled back and waved. She was in Slytherin as well thankfully. A few Slytherins introduced themselves, there was Millicent Bullstrode, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.

Midnight or Midna as she preferred to be called, came over to me and pointed out the names of the rest, who were too busy eating or talking to one another, the blonde was Draco Malfoy (quite handsome to say the least) and the pug-face girl who had an attitude towards me was Pansy Parkinson. Both were Prefects and would lead the first years to the Slytherin Dungeons.

Midna had black hair that reached just a couple inches below her shoulders with blunt cut bangs, light skin (not pale like mine, there's a difference between light and pale skin after all), and dark makeup that almost matched her smokey grey eyes.

I looked at Midna curiously. "So where were you on the train? I didn't see you in the compartment that I was in." I asked, finishing my meal and drinking the last of my pumpkin juice.

"Oh, I was with Opal and Lilia. We were near the front of the train." she replied and then asked, "Which compartment did you stay in?"

I sighed softly and rested my chin on my hand. "According to Pansy, the Slytherin Compartment, it's near the end of the train. She was sitting with Draco and Blaise when I got there."

Midna narrowed her eyes. "That compartment does mostly have Slytherins in there, but that doesn't just mean only Slytherins are allowed. Pansy is rather possessive with Malfoy, she seems to think that every girl is after him so she tends to stay close to him. He doesn't even like her."

I chuckled in amusement and looked over where Draco was sitting, Pansy was rather close to him. "She thinks I'm after Draco? Sure he's handsome, but I don't jump after every guy I see."

Midna and I continued to talk until the food disappeared and Professor Dumbledore said a few things before sending us off. I got up and followed Draco, who was calling for the first years to follow him. Pansy narrowed her eyes at me as I passed by her. Rolling my eyes, I hummed softly as we all went down to the Slytherin Dungeons.

Draco led us to a stone wall and spoke the password (Bezoar), telling us that it changes every fortnight. We all entered the Slytherin Common Room and he told us the rules and expectations, where the dorms were, and debunked some of the myths about the House in general. Even explaining that Merlin was a Slytherin.

We went our separate ways after that. I looked around curiously. The Slytherin Common Room appeared to sit below the Black Lake as from what I could see in the tall windows, there was a fire crackling in the fireplace, green lamps glowing and leather sofas. I could hear the sound of the lake faintly.

"So you're the transfer student?" I heard someone ask and turned around, coming face to face with Draco or well I had to look up to face him, he's at least a foot taller than I am.

"Yes, I am. I'm Raven Mancer." I said politely and held out my hand. He smiled and shook my hand. "Draco Malfoy."

I smiled, letting go of Draco's hand. "Well it's nice to meet you Draco." I said, looking at him. He nodded curtly and turned away, walking to the dorms. I sighed softly and did the same. It was late and I was exhausted from the train ride and dealing with conflict. As I walked up the stairs I searched for the dorm room.

I eventually saw a door that said 'Sixth Years', entered the room and walked inside to the bed that my trunk was in front of and changed into my black silk nightgown. I sat for a moment before heading to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and removing my eye makeup. I finally got into bed, closed the green hangings and fell asleep quickly.

 **\- -Monday, September 2, 1996- -**

I woke up to the sound of an alarm going off. Sitting up, I yawned and stretched. It was seven in the morning, so breakfast would be starting in half an hour. "Raven, you up?" I heard Midna ask. I hummed in response and opened the hangings. With a quick trip to the bathroom, I took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and dressed into my Hogwarts uniform. After that I left with Midna to the Common Room where we talked for a bit before leaving with the others for breakfast

We continued talking until arriving at the Great Hall and sat down at our table. I helped myself to some bacon, eggs, toast and pumpkin juice. The smell of the food here was intoxicating. Midna sat next to me and got herself some pancakes, eggs and bacon. Draco sat in front of me and started talking to Blaise. As we ate, Professor Slughorn passed out our timetables.

I looked at mine, sipping my pumpkin juice: Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration and a few other classes. So Defence Against the Dark Arts was first since it was Monday. My favorite subject. Smiling, I put my timetable in my bag and ate the rest of my breakfast.

The bell rang just as I drank the last of my pumpkin juice. I got up and went with the rest of the Sixth year Slytherins to Defence Against the Dark Arts. My family are naturally proficient for this subject, it runs in the blood of the Mancers.

We entered the classroom a few minutes later with the Gryffindors and a man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin came in, his robes blowing behind him. "That's Professor Snape, he used to be the Potions Professor." whispered Midna. I nodded softly and watched as he began class.

"I have not asked you to take out your books, I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention." said Snape, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk. I listened on as Snape talked about how there were five other teachers so far in this class. Snape went to the edge of the room, his voice lower as he explained the Dark Arts.

He went on about the pictures he had in the class and the things about them; One showed a witch under the Cruciatus Curse, a wizard against a wall who had faced the Dementor's Kiss, and a bloody mass on the ground from the provoking of a Inferius. I shuddered at the last one.

One girl whose name I did know, asked, "Has an Inferius been seen, then?" Snape replied with, "The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past, which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again."

The class continued with Professor Snape talking about nonverbal spells and had us divide into pairs. I paired up with Midna and we attempted to do nonverbal magic. Both of us took turns either trying to jinx the other or block the jink nonverbally, but it was difficult.

Both of us looked up when Professor Snape was talking to a black haired boy with bright green eyes and round glasses. Midna whispered to me that was Harry Potter.

"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing _nonverbal spells_ , Potter?"

"Yes." Harry said stiffly.

"Yes, _sir_."

"There's no need to call me 'sir', Professor." he said back.

My eyes widened at the sass Harry had, but I wisely held back my urge to laugh. Midna was covering her mouth to keep herself quiet. Class ended quickly after that.

Sometime later in the afternoon, the bell rang for Double Potions. I entered the class, noticed that the classroom had the distinct scent of apples, vanilla and expensive cologne, but shrugged it off and found a spot near Draco, Theodore, and Blaise. I recognized Harry, who was at the table behind Draco, but I didn't recognize the red haired boy or bushy haired girl with him. There were four Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff as well, but I didn't recognize them either.

Professor Slughorn then entered the class as I gazed at the cauldrons full of potions. We all got our textbooks, potions kits and scales out. I heard Harry mention that he and Ron, who must be the one with red hair next to him, didn't get their potions supplies. Slughorn begins pointing out the cauldrons and asks what they contain.

The bushy haired girl, who identifies herself as Hermione Granger, points them all out: Veritaserum, a truth potion. Polyjuice potion, a potion that lets you turn into any witch or wizard. And finally, Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It smells differently according to the person.

I realized that was why I noticed the smell here was not like a typical classroom. It was the Amortentia. I have no idea who has these distinct scents and why I can smell them. I looked up when someone asked about one other cauldron that I didn't notice, it had a potion that looked like molten gold and blobs of it leaped around inside, but never spilled out. _"Felix Felicis."_ I thought, staring at the golden liquid.

Slughorn explained the potion and had us start working on making The Draught of Living Death. He said that whoever makes a perfect dose gets a vial with enough Felix Felicis to last twelve hours.

I grabbed my cauldron and began working. It was doing alright at first, but cutting the sopophorous bean was very difficult. It kept sliding around and I was growing more and more frustrated. I let out a soft growl and crushed the bean in anger with my knife. To my surprise, the bean let out a lot of juice. _"Not what I was expecting.."_ I thought and got the juice into the cauldron, watching the potion turn lilac in color.

The potion didn't do well after that, it was like the instructions were flawed or something. My potion turned a dark blue by the time Slughorn had us stop what we were doing and he went around looking at what we got. Most of us didn't do well and Harry, who apparently got the potion done perfectly, ended up wth the Felix Felicis potion.

The class soon ended and dinner came. I entered the Great Hall and saw two girls ahead, one with light skin, icy blue eyes and silver hair. Her name is Opal Moonstone, a Ravenclaw and Half-blood. The other girl had light tan skin, golden honey eyes and chocolate brown hair. Her name is Lilia Heartstrings, a Hufflepuff and Muggle-born.

I went over to them with a grin. "Hey Lilia, Opal!" I said cheerfully, waving at them. "Oh, hi Raven!" beamed Lilia.

"Hey Raven! How's your time here at Hogwarts so far?" asked Opal.

"It's been alright. A bit rough at times, but I'm liking it here." I said, shrugging and folding my arms.

"Well we both hope you survive being in Slytherin then. We heard from Midna about Pansy during lunch. We've all seen how she is towards other girls regardless of House they're in." said Opal.

Lilia nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she actually went after a Hufflepuff a couple years ago and the poor girl didn't even do anything other than walk past Draco just to get to her class in time."

I narrowed my eyes at this info. "She's batshit crazy. Midna said that Draco doesn't even like her, is that true?" I asked. They both nodded. "We've seen it enough times. He's told her repeatedly that he doesn't like her, but she keeps saying to stop lying and admit that he's in love with her." said Lilia.

"Try witnessing it nearly everyday. I've seen it more than I want to." said Midna, who walked up behind me. "C'mon Raven, you gotta eat." she said. I chuckled. "Oh alright. We should try to hang out sometime. I wanna catch up with all of you." I replied and they all nodded.

I left with Midna to the Slytherin table and sat down. I helped myself to some pasta, steak and pumpkin juice. As I ate though, I looked up to see Pansy clinging to Draco, who was clearly wanting nothing to do with her and kept pushing her off his arm. I watched this repeat for a good five minutes before getting annoyed with her not taking a hint.

Looking at Pansy, I gave her a disapproving look, "Hey Pansy, maybe you should take the hint Draco is giving you and leave him alone. He clearly doesn't like how clingy you are." I said, a few looked at me. She looked irritated and glared at me "Fuck off, Mancer!" she spat.

"Oh, that's mature." I scolded and she threw something at me in response. I dodged the object and glared at her. "Hey! I'm just telling you to loosen that clingy attitude you have towards Draco. You're in his personal space." I said. Pansy scoffed in response "Do you have a crush on Draco, Mancer?" She spat.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "My personal feelings are none of your business. I am only telling you to back off and leave him alone before you get hexed. That doesn't automatically mean I have a crush on him. I just care about respecting the personal space of others, something you clearly ignore." I stated, looking at her.

Pansy's face turned red in anger as a few people snickered and she stormed off. Draco looked at me with a relieved smile while Midna was laughing quietly. I went back to my food and ate until the food disappeared and we all left to go back to our Common Rooms.

Once I got to the bare tone wall that leads to the Slytherin Common Room, I spoke the password and entered, quickly sitting on the leather loveseat and sighed softly. The other Slytherins went about their business, some cracking jokes and others going to study. I noticed Draco sitting down across from me.

"Hello Draco." I greeted. He looked over at me and nodded. "Hi Raven."

"How's your day been?" I asked, looking at him.

"It's been good. I got Prefect duties tonight so don't go wandering the halls after curfew, otherwise I'll have to dock points off you." he warned.

I giggled and rolled my eyes. "I plan on going to my dorm to read so don't worry, I'm not costing our House any points by doing something like that."

"Good. Now, how's your day been?" he asked, leaning back against the loveseat.

"It's been alright so far. Although I am not looking forward to all the homework we'll be getting. I heard that all this free time we're getting is intended for studying for our N.E.W.T.s." I said, looking at Draco. I noticed just how beautiful his eyes are. It's like staring into molten silver.

He nodded in agreement. "It'll be tough, but you'll get used to it."

"I doubt I will." I giggled, my mind drifting to something else. It was silent for a few minutes before I spoke up again, biting my lip nervously. "Draco?"

He looked up at me, his silvery eyes looking into my emerald green ones. "Hm?"

"I was wondering, would you like to be my friend?" I asked. I was very nervous, he didn't seem like the guy to befriend many.

Draco sat up straight in surprise before chuckling softly. "In all my years of being at Hogwarts, I never thought I'd be asked to be friends with someone. Normally, I would reject an offer like that, but I will make an exception as you are already proving to be a worthy person. So yes, I'd like to be your friend." he accepted, grinning.

I smiled. "Wonderful! I look forward to getting to know you and stuff." I said cheerfully. He leaned back against the loveseat again, folding his arms. "I do as well." he replied.

We both talked for a bit and I let him know that if he ever needs to talk to someone to vent or rant without being judged, he can come to me and I'd listen. That resulted in be pulled into a vent which lasted a few hours. Of course after that he said he was going to turn in after doing his Prefect duties and I nodded, told him goodnight before heading up to my dorm.

Once I was inside, I brushed my teeth and dressed into my nightgown and got into bed. As I laid there, many thoughts were swimming through my head. I knew was going to enjoy being here, but I could just sense that Pansy would be an issue with her attitude towards me and it did not help that she slept in here as well. Draco accepted my offer of being friends and I looked forward on getting to know him better.

One thing that wouldn't leave my mind though was his eyes. They were a beautiful silver color and I seemed to have gotten lost in them whenever we made eye contact. My thoughts stayed on Draco for a good while until it hit me hard just before falling asleep: I have a crush on Draco Malfoy!

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	2. Chapter 2

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 2: Fights, Laughs, and Homework- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Thursday, September 26, 1996- -**

A few weeks have passed since coming to Hogwarts. Draco and I talked every evening after dinner for about an hour, and during that hour, he's told me about himself and revealed his past to me just last week. To hear the terrible things he did in his first two years here at Hogwarts angered me, but the guilt in his eyes was enough to let me forgive him for his past actions.

I told him about myself, but didn't reveal much about my family (other than being wealthy) or where I came from, not feeling the need to mention it currently. I talked about how I always adored black roses and the birds I was named after: The raven. My favorite pass time was drawing and reading.

He had asked if he could see my artwork at some point and I had shown him the next day when I got the chance. I became a blushing mess when he said that my art was beautiful, all while he went through the notebook. I often drew flowers, mostly black roses, but many other kinds and used water color paints for them.

Besides the usual 'getting to know each other' conversation, we often talked about our favorite classes, mine being Defence Against the Dark Arts and his being Potions. I enjoyed talking to Draco. Despite his overall appearance around others, he was actually very sweet, even made the occasional joke once in a while.

Although, one thing I noticed about him was his lack of confidence and often cowering in certain situations despite how he made himself look in front of others. This concerned me. Was this a result of his home life or something else?

Unfortunately, I couldn't think too deeply about it anytime soon with all this homework we were being assigned. While it was fairly simple, the sheer amount shocked me when we were assigned so much the first time. Now on the other hand, I had gotten used to it and rarely complained, but holy hell, my hand sometimes cramped up.

Currently, I was finishing up the last of my Potions homework with Draco. I had some difficulty with it and he offered to help me out, which was very nice of him. He explained the current potion we were writing about and the way he explained it gave me a better understanding and that in turn helped me get through the assignment quickly. I was soon done with it and sighed in relief, waving my wand to remove any smudges and placed the completed assignment in my bag.

Draco was still working so I didn't bother him and grabbed a bottle of ice cold pumpkin juice, opened it and drank nearly half the bottle. Setting the bottle down, I looked over at the clock and saw that it was almost eight. Only an hour before I had to sleep, but I was already feeling tired so I got up, grabbed my bag and pumpkin juice.

Draco looked up at me, raising a blonde eyebrow. "Done already?" he asked. I nodded, drinking my pumpkin juice. "Yeah, I'm turning in early though."

"Alright, goodnight Raven." he said, going back to his work. "Goodnight, Draco."

 **\- -Friday, September 27, 1996- -**

It was early and I had already showered and gotten dressed. I was in the Common Room, putting on my usual black eye makeup. I had just put on my eyeshadow and eyeliner when Midna and the other sixth year girls came down, along with the sixth year guys. Midna greeted me, watching me put on a small amount of mascara. "Raven, could you do my makeup? I love how you do yours." she asked, smiling eagerly.

I nodded and did her makeup, doing a simple smokey eye. So, is it true Raven? Do you really have a crush on Draco?" Midna asked quietly after I finished doing her makeup. I nodded, blushing softly. "Yes, I do, but I don't want him or anyone else finding out about it. Only you, Opal and Lilia know. Please don't tell anyone else. " I pleaded softly and she nodded. "My lips are sealed." She reassured me. I smiled and put my makeup away with a flick of my wand.

I got up and stretched, my joints popping softly. I felt a hand play with my hair and I turned to see Midna being the one doing it. "How do you keep your hair so smooth and soft?" She asked and I quickly moved away, giggling. "By not playing with it." I said and she got up, moving towards me with an evil grin with her hand reached towards me. "Hey, don't you dare!" I squealed and ran, she gave chase and I laughed. Some of the Slytherins were either giving us confused or amused looks.

I kept running around laughing with Midna hot on my trail. Without even paying attention, I ran into someone and fell on my butt. A few Slytherins snickered, but it then got dead quiet, which confused me until I looked up and saw who I ran into. It was Draco, he staring down at me with an annoyed look.

Of course I had to run into him in the morning, he was sometimes cranky before having his morning coffee (still a surprise to me that he preferred coffee in the morning over tea like the others). I got up quickly and looked at him. "Sorry Draco, I wasn't paying attention." He huffed softly and walked away.

"Looks like Draco hates you Mancer. Now I have my chance with him again." Pansy sneered. I grew annoyed with her damn remarks and turned to face her. "I'd like to see you try to get him Pansy. I look forward to seeing you get rejected." I spat and turned to walk to Midna when I felt a force push me down. I fell onto the ground and looked up to see Pansy standing above me. "HE WON'T REJECT ME!" she shrieked and grabbed me by my hair, making me cry out in pain.

"Let me go, NOW!" I growled, eyes watering from my hair being pulled. She threw a punch at me. "LEAVE MY DRAKEY ALONE! I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN LOVE HIM! NOT YOU!" She shrieked. I narrowed my eyes. "Love him?! What gave you that idea Pansy?!" I yelled. Pansy threw me down again and I quickly got up, glaring at her as a bruise formed on my cheek. "I heard you taking to Bloodstone that you have a crush on Draco!" She yelled back. I froze, my eyes wide for a moment before narrowing.

I walked towards Pansy. "How you managed to hear that is unknown, but I can't fucking control who I develop feelings for and even now I haven't done a damn thing to show those feelings as I don't want to lose the friendship I have with him, BUT I GUESS THAT HAS BEEN RUINED BECAUSE OF YOU REVEALING IT!" I screamed and stormed out with tears beginning to fall.

The whole Common Room was silent when I left. All of the stress I felt from Pansy since coming here has done it's damage and I sobbed quietly, keeping my head lowered to avoid letting anyone seeing my face as I walked to the Great Hall. I sniffled quietly and entered the Great Hall, walking towards my table. I wiped my eyes and sat down, sighing softly as more tears trickled down my face.

"Raven, are you alright?" I heard a gentle voice ask. I looked up and saw Opal. She looked concerned. "No, I've had a rough morning. Pansy had revealed who I have a crush on and all of the stress caused by her had taken it's toll on me." I said softly, sniffling. She frowned and sat next to me and hugged me. I sobbed quietly in her arms.

"Oh Raven.." I heard Midna say as she approached us and sat down and rubbed my back in small circles. Things were muffled as I was comforted by Opal and Midna, but I could tell that the Great Hall was filling up with the other students as breakfast started. I heard a faint "Harry, give me a moment. Something is wrong with Raven."

Instantly I knew that it was Lilia and she had seen me surrounded by Opal and Midna. I could hear Pansy laughing mockingly in the background and Draco hissing at her to shut it just as Lilia came over. "Opal, Midna, what's going on? What happened to Raven?" she asked softly. Opal looked up at Lilia. "Pansy pushed too far. She revealed who she's crushing on in front of everyone in the Slytherin Common Room." she answered.

I looked up in time to see Lilia's face reddened in anger. "That bitch! Where is she?!" she snarled, drawing her wand. I shook my head. "Lilia, don't, at least not right now." I warned weakly. She looked at me and saw the tear streaks on my face that were stained black from my makeup. She frowned, put her wand away and nodded. "Ok Raven. Do take it easy from now on. If you need me to hex Pansy, you know where I'll be." she said and left.

Sighing softly, I pulled myself out of Opal's arms and got up, I wasn't in the mood to eat, but my stomach said otherwise. "I'm going to just wait by the classroom." I said, making my move to leave, when a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked and saw Midna looking at me with worry. "Let me and Opal come with you Raven, we can talk more privately." she said.

I sighed and nodded. Midna grabbed a few apples while Opal went over to me as I left the Great Hall. I was unaware of the concerned look Draco had when he saw me leave with Midna and Opal. We got to the classroom I had next and sat down next to it. Sighing softly, I looked at the floor and wiped away the few stray tears that fell with my hand, which left black stains on my face and hand in the process.

"Here Raven." said Opal as she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face free of runny makeup and tears. I smiled weakly and thanked her before removing the rest of my makeup with a flick of my wand. No point in wearing any if I end up crying again. I looked over at Midna and noticed the apples. "Can I have one of those apples?" I asked. Midna nodded and handed me one.

Taking a bite out of the apple, I thought for a few minutes before speaking. "I actually thought about telling Draco that I had a crush on him in a few months, but I guess I don't need to anymore." I sighed and finished the apple with a few large bites. "I'll get over this eventually, it's just hard as I truly enjoyed being friends with Draco. I feel like it's been ruined now that he knows about my crush on him. What if he becomes uncomfortable around me?" I asked.

Opal looked at me, rubbing my back soothingly. "Only time will tell Raven. Let him come to you if needed. You two talk often so if he still enjoys talking to you, then maybe he doesn't mind." She reassured. I smiled weakly. "I'm glad I have you guys to help me through these tough times." I said. The bell for class rang and Opal shot up and ran to get to her class. Midna and I both got up and went to our class together.

Classes were a bit of a struggle, but I managed to get through them. Lunch came and I went to the Great Hall with Midna, who was expressing concern on the bruise on my cheek. "Raven, you really should get that bruise healed."

"I will after classes are over, Midna." I said as we entered the Great Hall and sat at the Slytherin table. I grabbed a sandwich, an apple and poured myself some pumpkin juice. Midna and I continued talking until about halfway through lunch when someone tapped me on the shoulder. Turning around, I saw Draco much to my surprise. He sat down only for a moment and said quietly to me, "Meet me in the Common Room when classes are over, Raven."

I nodded and he left. I looked over at Midna and she gave me a questioning look. "Draco wants me to meet him in the Common Room after classes are over." I explained quietly.

She smiled softly. "Maybe he wants to make sure you are okay after what happened earlier." she whispered. My heart sank at that. _"Or maybe he wants to stop being friends with me now that he knows I like him for more than just a friend."_ I thought grimly. I gave a weak smile. "Yeah, maybe, but who knows what he wants." I whispered back taking a bite out of my sandwich.

"He wants _you_ , Raven." she whispered suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows. I choked on my food at that and whacked her arm after clearing my throat. "Shut it!" I hissed, a dark blush forming on my cheeks. She laughed at the look on my face, only making my blush darken. I shook my head and finished my lunch, the bell ringing for afternoon classes minutes later.

Once the afternoon classes ended, I went to the stone wall, said the password (Serpent's gaze) Slytherin Common Room to find Draco. I was anxious about what he wanted to talk to me about. Taking a deep breath, I looked around and spotted Draco sitting on the leather loveseat and walked over to him. He looked up at me as I sat down next to him. "So, umm, what did you want me to come here for?" I asked nervously, my gaze on the floor.

"I wanted to ask you something." he said, looking at me. I was unaware that he looked concerned at my nervous expression as I stared at the floor like it was the most interesting thing. "Ok, ask me." I said.

I heard him sigh softly. "Is it true that you have a crush on me?" he asked. I nodded, feeling tears well up in my eyes, but I blinked them away before they fell. "Yes, and I'm sorry if it ruined the friendship we had. I planned on waiting a few more months before telling you." I whispered, my throat constricting.

It was silent for a moment. I waited for him to react, but he didn't react negatively. Instead, he placed his hand on my chin and turned my head towards him. "Raven, just because you have a crush on me does not mean we're not friends anymore. I'm not upset about it either. I love being friends with you and no crush is going to ruin it. You've always been there for me these last few weeks. Let me be here for you now." he explained softly before pulling me into a hug.

I stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into his embrace. He noticed the delicate bruise on my cheek and pulled his wand out. "Let me heal that for you." he said softly and waved his wand. The bruise healed and my cheek no longer hurt. I smiled and thanked him before closing my eyes as he hugged me again. The weight I felt believing he'd be upset with me was lifted and I felt so relieved. Maybe we'll grow closer as time goes on regardless of how I feel towards him.

 **\- -Thursday, October 24, 1996- -**

Things between Draco and I have gotten better. We've grown closer, he's told me about his struggles during his third and fourth year. It was very sad to hear him talk about it. His voice had cracked a few times when he told me the things he had to say to keep up the appearance everyone expected him to have. I comforted him during that, which he appreciated.

Besides that, we were currently in the Common Room after a long day of classes. I was laying on the loveseat reading my Defence Against the Dark Arts book. I was disturbed from my reading when I heard snickering and someone sat on my feet. Looking up, I saw Draco looking smug. "Draco, those are my feet you're sitting on." I giggled, setting my book down.

"If you didn't take up the whole loveseat, then I wouldn't be sitting on them." he stated, smirking. I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, then I can kick your ass more easily." I retorted and shot my feet up, kicking him. He yelped and jumped off. I laughed as he glared at me.

"That's what you get for sitting on my poor feet, Draco." I said, laughing and moving my feet back. He shook his head in amusement and sat down. "So what's going on with you?" I asked, looking at him. "Other than my ass being sore, nothing much." he replied, chuckling.

I giggled and we both talked for a few hours before we both called it a night.

 **\- -Thursday, October 31, 1996- -**

I groaned softly as I woke up to Midna jumping on the bed and shouting. "RAVEN WAKE UP! IT'S HALLOWEEN!"

Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and stretched while yawning. "Ok, Ok I'm up Midna." I said groggily and got out of bed. "Don't expect me to get all crazy about this Midna. I'm just going to dress the way I usually do rather than dress up for this holiday." I informed, giggling. I took a quick shower, got dressed and did my makeup.

I greeted Draco as usual and sat with him. "You look happy today Raven. Did you finally get a boyfriend?" Draco teased, smirking. Laughing, I shook my head. "No. What guy would want me as their girlfriend? It's actually because today is Halloween. Midna is dressing up tonight since she enjoys it. It's also my favorite." I replied, laughing.

Draco chuckled. "I see. Are you doing that dressing up thing as well?" He asked. I shook my head again. "No, I don't dress up, I just enjoy the holiday." I said, looking at him. He shrugged in response and got up. "Let's get to breakfast. I need my morning coffee." He said and I nodded and got up as well. "You always need your morning coffee." I teased and got a small, playful slap on the arm in response.

While walking with Draco to breakfast, I remembered that we had a history class on a interesting subject. "Draco, are you looking forward to the class we're having? I hear it's about some lost pure-blood family." I asked, he shook his head. "Not really, history is rather boring. Even if it is about a lost pure-blood family. I've probably heard about them before." He replied.

 **\- -Timeskip to the class- - ((A/N: This isn't History of Magic, although it could count as an alternate version of the class in some way.))**

All of us entered the classroom and sat down at our tables, which can only seat two students. Draco sat next to me on my left. I pulled out my quill, ink and parchment and set them on the table. The others were doing the same while whispering to each other until our professor came in and cleared his throat.

"Settle down class. Today, we will be learning about the Pure-Blood family known at the Scarletts." said the professor. My brows furrowed in thought and I felt my stomach churn like I had swallowed live snakes as the color in my face drained. _"Why are we learning about them?"_ I thought, squeezing the hem of my skirt so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

Draco noticed my sudden change of mood and put his hand on my shoulder gently. "Raven, are you feeling alright? You look pallid." he asked in a whisper, concern in his voice.

I nodded weakly, feeling uncomfortable with the lesson as the professor talked. "The Scarletts are an ancient family of Pure-Bloods well known for many reasons. Appearing not long after the witch burnings began, this family turned dark and developed a hatred towards muggles for their fear of magic and attempts to hunt them down for having magic."

"Over the centuries, the news of them spread. They were hunted down and many members died. Sometime later, many noticed a _physical_ similarity between every member of the Scarletts: _Emerald green eyes, black hair and pale skin_. Strangely enough, many pondered why their eyes were not red from the use of Dark Magic, but an answer was never found."

I heard one student whisper, "Maybe their genetics were so powerful that it deflected the Dark Magic's will to change their eyes." and a few snickered quietly in response. Despite that small joke, I could feel multiple eyes on me and I immediately looked at them. "What? Why are you all staring at me?" I asked. They looked away quickly, not answering. Of course they'd think I'm a Scarlett for my appearance.

The professor shook his head and continued on. "In the early eighteenth century, the Scarletts were targeted more than ever after the use of the Three Unforgivables was made illegal. By the mid to late eighteenth century, a _new physical_ trait was noticed on them: _black rings_ in their ears. This simple detail highlighted a spell that they created and only their family can use it. It is known as the Protection Spell. Coincidentally, this spell was created not long after the wand light charm was invented."

Many laughed at the name of the spell. It was not creative and the name itself could refer to a protection for anything. Draco raised his hand. "What does the Protection Spell do? And why would it be a coincidence that it was invented after that particular charm?" he asked. I looked at him curiously, but he didn't notice.

"The Protection Spell is a Scarlett made spell designed to protect a person from receiving a mark made of Dark Magic. It is rumored that the Dark Lords Dark Mark can be deflected if the person has this spell on them, but it is unknown. As for the creation after the wand lighting charm, it has been documented that the black ring that signifies the Protection Spell turns red, like hot metal, to prove it's the ring of the spell." the professor answered.

Draco and a few others looked curious. "Why would it be unknown?" one student asked.

The professor looked at the student. "It is unknown because only months after the Scarletts were seen with this new spell, they disappeared off the map. Many believe they were killed off as there are no records of them being put in a Wizarding Prison. Others believe they went into hiding, but it is unknown what happened."

The bell rang, much to my relief and we all left with homework assigned on the subject. Draco ran up to me and walked by my side. "Well, I certainly didn't expect to hear about that family. My father always talked to me about them.." He said, but I barely listened, my mind focused on the subject and how uncomfortable I was feeling. "Raven? Are you alright? You haven't looked well since the beginning of that class." He asked worryingly.

I shook my head "No, I'm just rather uncomfortable with the lesson. I heard about them from my father and it never sat well with me ever since." I said softly. He looked at me worryingly, but didn't say anything.

The Halloween Feat soon came and it was amazing. The Great Hall was beautifully decorated with floating Jack-o-lanterns and bats flew around. I was having some of the sweets and drinking pumpkin juice. Midna and a few Muggle-borns had dressed up a bit in celebration of the holiday. Midna wore her makeup differently as she had used her black eyeliner to created small spiderwebs coming out of the outer corners of her eyes, which looked pretty.

As I grabbed an apple and bit into it, I talked to Midna and she told me a few stories which got both of us laughing. After calming myself down, I looked up to watch the bats that flew around. The Jack-o-Lanterns were so beautiful as they floated above us. There were some candles floating as well, which only made the sight more majestic.

I sighed contently and grabbed a pumpkin pasty and bit into it, moaning softly at the sweet flavor. This was surely the best Halloween I've ever had.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	3. Chapter 3

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 3: Fun and Dread- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Friday, November 1, 1996- -**

It was now November. _"Oh how time flies."_ I thought as I went to Transfiguration class. "BOO!" I let out a loud squeal and turned around to see Midna giggling loudly. "Oh very mature Midna." I said with a grin and continued walking, I could hear Draco sniggering nearby. Midna walked next to me, still giggling.

Professor McGonagall had us work on the bird-conjuring charm, which was proving difficult for most of the students. I jumped when I heard a loud crack and looked to see that Hermione had successfully done the charm. I attempted to do the spell, but it proved difficult and I couldn't get it right.

The rest of class went by quickly afterwards, not many were able to perform the charm correctly, which resulted in a few getting frustrated, including me. The next few classes passed by fairly quick and lunch came. I walked to the table and sat down, putting some food on my plate and began eating. Midna and Draco sat next to me, Draco on my right and Midna on my left. We all talked as we ate. I grabbed a green apple after finishing what was on my plate and bit into it.

Draco looked at me with a small smirk. I narrowed my eyes at him as I ate. "What's with that smirk?" I ask, taking another bite. "Oh, nothing." He said and grabbed a green apple. "Funny that we both like the green apples when many others don't. They don't know what they're missing." I said, giggling softly and took a final bite of my apple and put the core down. After drinking the rest of my pumpkin juice, the tables cleared of the food and all of us got up to go to our next classes.

 **\- -Timeskip to afternoon- -**

 _"Looks like I'm gonna be up late again. So much work assigned."_ I thought as I walked to the Black Lake to relax. Classes were over for the day and I could use the fresh air. I enjoyed the feeling of the cooler air filling my lungs as it just seemed to be easier to breathe in cold air compared to warmer air. I sat down in front of the lake and gazed at the water, spacing out.

I jumped a bit when the sound of a twig snapping came behind me. I turned my head around quickly, my wand out instinctively. The person held his hands up, I narrowed my eyes for a moment and saw it was Harry, who now had his wand out in return. I lowered my wand once I saw it was just him. "Sorry."

"Um, it's fine. Raven right?" He asked, looking at me as he put his wand back."Yes, it is." I confirmed and watched as he sat by me.

"You enjoy relaxing by the lake too?" Harry asked and I nodded. "Yeah, I needed the fresh air and being near the Black Lake often helps me clear my mind, especially since I am swamped with homework again." I explained, looking at the lake. I heard him chuckle softly. "I'll never understand why they give us so much. I'm used to it, but it's ridiculous." He said and I hummed in agreement. "Very ridiculous. Also, are you not bothered that I'm a Slytherin? I mean that rivalry between our houses is crazy." I asked, chuckling softly.

He looked at me. "I haven't seen you act all rude like most in your house, something I never expected from a Slytherin. And I really just don't care at the moment about what house you are in. You seem to get along well with the other Slytherins and the other houses." He explained, I nodded, "Except for Pansy, she is all over my ass about my friendship with Draco." I said.

Harry's eyebrows rose as he heard this. "That explains why she's always glaring at you and trying to start fights with you." He said and I lowered my head. "Well, that and there's another reason why she's acting so rudely, but since most of the school found out thanks to her, I won't need to explain." I said, my voice wavering. "Oh, your crush on Malfoy is another reason?" He asked. "Yeah." I replied, looking up at the lake as the giant squid appeared.

He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't get what you see in him." He muttered and I turned my head to look at him. "Well, considering my friendship with him, I am treated a lot more kindly. He seems to genuinely care about me now." I explained and Harry snorted in response. "Malfoy caring? That's a first." He said, amused.

I rolled my eyes. "I know Draco more than anyone else does here Harry. Even the other Slytherins don't know Draco the way I do." I muttered softly, but it was loud enough for Harry to hear. He shook his head and got up. "If you say so. I'm going to the library, later Raven, it was nice talking to you." Harry said and left, leaving me alone in front of the lake. I got up as well and stretched. We were talking for nearly an hour. I put my wand away since I never put it back and left to the Dungeons to take a shower to clear my mind since it was still foggy.

 **\- -After the shower- -**

I sighed softly in relief as I left the bathroom smelling of lilacs and shea butter and dressed in a black dress shirt and black knee length skirt. Going to the Common Room, I went over to a table to do my homework, which I was not looking forward to doing.

After an hour, I had finished about a quarter of what I was given, my right hand cramped from all of the writing so I set my quill down and rubbed it, groaning softly. I heard the familiar sounds of heels that belonged to none other than Pansy herself. She has been getting so desperate at getting Draco's attention that she has resorted to wearing provocative clothing when we weren't required to wear our uniforms. It's disturbing to say the least.

I turned to look at her and saw that she was walking towards Draco once again. I watched and waited to see her get rejected.. again. "Pansy, for the last time, go away! I am not interested in you!" Draco yelled in annoyance. "But Drakey! We're meant to be together! We're supposed to get married!" She cried.

I rolled my eyes and got up, walking towards her. "You heard him Pansy, leave him alone! You two aren't getting married at all." I warned, putting my hands on my hips. Pansy turned around quickly, her face turning red. "You're the one ruining my chances with that stupid crush you have on him! I'm the one who's supposed to love him, not you!" She shrieked, causing me to cover my ears at the horrible pitch.

I narrowed my eyes at her, she was getting into dangerous territory by taunting my crush on Draco. "Leave my feelings for Draco out of this! You are a nuisance! All you care about is bugging the living hell out of Draco in some pathetic attempt to win his affections. Dressing up like that-" I pointed at her short skirt and tang top and heels. "-is not going to get you anywhere other than unwanted attention. Do you want your parents finding out you're dressing up like a muggle prostitute to get the attention of a guy who might not even like you?" I said, looking at her.

She growled, her face a dark shade of red. "Drakey does like me! He just won't admit it!" She yelled. Draco let out an annoyed growl and turned to her. "Pansy! I do not like you at all! I never have! For fucks sake, leave me the hell alone!" He yelled. Parkinson gasped dramatically and ran off. Draco turned away and rubbed his temples.

I walked over to him and sat down, putting my hand on his shoulder. "I think she finally got the message Draco. You can rest now without any worry." I said softly, he groaned in response. "Who knows how long that will last. I just want things to get easier." he mumbled. "Things will get easier, I'm sure." I said, looking at him.

 **\- -Saturday, November 9, 1996- -**

Pansy hasn't bothered Draco for over a week now, which relieved both of us. It was Saturday so I decided to go to Hogsmead. It had been snowing so I threw on a black turtleneck sweater and thick black tights with black winter boots that has a black fur trim on the top. I grabbed my black winter coat that held a bag of money and put it on before leaving.

Draco joined me and while walking there I ended up slipping on some hidden ice, but Draco caught me before I could hit the ground. I laughed and thanked him. We both arrived at Hogsmead and went to The Three Broomsticks and got some butterbeer. We sat and talked for a while. As I was drinking, Draco had said something funny and I ended up having butterbeer squirting out of my nose in laughter.

Draco laughed loudly, hitting the table with his fist. I laughed as well, despite my nose burning badly. Our laughter was noticed by a few, but we didn't care since we were both enjoying ourselves. After calming down, I cleaned my face and the table up, and finished my butterbeer.

Deciding that we've spent enough time at the Three Broomsticks, we got up and left. It was snowing again and I gazed up at the sky, watching the snow fall. It was beautiful. I looked at Draco and saw that there were snowflakes sticking to his platinum blonde hair. He was covering his face with his scarf, his cheeks and the tip of his nose were red from the cold. "Wanna go back Draco?" I asked. "Yes, it's too cold out here." He replied. I giggled softly and walked back with him.

I can definitely say this was a great day. Lots of snow and hanging out with Draco made it better.

 **\- -Monday, November 18, 1996- -**

Another boring day at Hogwarts, even with the snow it was still boring. I was with Draco in the Great Hall for breakfast talking with the other Slytherins. Draco has been in a fairly good mood lately and the others have noticed. He was laughing and talking to Blaise while I talked to Midna. I looked up when the owls came with the daily posts. I received a letter, as did Draco. I opened mine and got the usual checking in to see how I've been doing and stuff like that.

I looked at Draco as he read his, what I did not expect was to see his smile drop and his face to turn white. This worried me and I placed my hand on his shoulder softly. "Draco, what's wrong?" I asked, he shrugged my hand off and stood up abruptly. "I-I need to g-go." He said and left quickly. I looked at Midna with worry. "Whatever that letter said, it's not good." I said, suddenly losing my appetite and pushed my plate away.

Defense Against the Dark Arts seemed to be the easiest class for me, but there were a few things that I still had difficulty with. I noticed that Draco never came to class and I felt more worried. Sighing softly, I worked on doing nonverbal spells again, but it was hard. Class ended with many looking stressed from trying to do said spells.

Next class was the same with Draco not showing up. I was wondering where he was now. Something was wrong if he was gone for this long. Lunch was also the same with him not showing up. I ate and spoke to Midna and Opal, expressing my worries.

Potions class also resulted in Draco not showing up, which shocked me more as he usually loved this class. After that class and the final class, I finally saw Draco, he did not look good. He spotted me and sped off. I felt my heart sink and went to the Common Room to clear my mind and figure out what was going on with Draco. I ended up missing dinner due to having no appetite and went to bed early, barely getting any sleep that night.

 **\- -Monday, November 25, 1996- -**

A week has passed and Draco was looking worse, he has barely eaten and doesn't look like he has slept in a while. He was loosing weight and had bags under his eyes. He had a more sickly pale tone to his skin as well. I've tried to talk to him, but he would either ignore me or say that he wanted to be alone. I was beginning to lose sleep from worrying so much. Midna has been watching me and making sure I ate enough to have energy for classes. Opal and Lilia have grown worried as well and have kept an eye on me.

Both of them have been staying close to me whenever they could and since Opal wasn't allowed in the Slytherin Common Room, she had requested Midna to watch over me when she couldn't be with us. I've been struggling with my classes due to the stress I was getting from worrying so much, as I was unable to focus properly so my grades went down.

I sighed softly, staring at the bowl of strawberries in front of me. "C'mon Raven, you need to eat." Midna urged and put some eggs and bacon on my plate. The smell made my mouth water, I hadn't eaten well for a few days so this for once gave me my appetite so I ate what was on the plate rather quickly and nibbled on the strawberries I was staring at. Midna smiled and ate her breakfast. I got up with Midna once it was time to go to class.

Draco did not show up to most of the classes again, but during Potions class, he did show up this time. He looked ill and his eyes were red, something I did not notice before. _"Has he been crying?"_ I thought, as I grabbed the ingredients for the potion we'd all be brewing today. I got to work on my potion and spaced out in the process.

I heard a loud bubbling sound about twenty minutes later and I looked up, someone's potion was about to explode. I ducked seconds before the potion exploded, which destroyed the cauldron in the process. I watched as various parts of the room got covered in the potion. Draco thankfully ducked as well. I got up and looked at the mess. My cauldron got a bit of the potion on it, which was going to be an issue.

After class, I went down to the Common Room. I was hoping to relax for a small amount of time. I said the password to the door and went inside. Looking around, I saw that no one has come down here yet. Going up to my dorm, I grabbed my drawing notebook and my quill and went back to the Common Room. I sat on the leather sofa and began drawing.

It did not last long. Thoughts flooded my mind on what was wrong with Draco. He's avoiding everyone, and after seeing how red his eyes were, I felt more worried. _"What did that letter say?"_ I thought, my hand stopped moving as I got deep into thought. Something was wrong. Draco always talked to me when something was upsetting him, he said he'd talk to me whenever he needed to vent or rant since he knew I'd listen.

Sighing, I looked at my half drawn picture of three black roses sitting in a rain puddle and closed my notebook and set it down with my quill. I heard footsteps and looked up, it was Midna. I smiled weakly. "Hi Midna.." I said softly, she walked over to me and leaned on the sofa. "Dinner is about to start, let's go eat." She said and I nodded and got up.

 **\- -Later that night- -**

I sighed as I laid in bed. I couldn't sleep, haven't been able to for a while now. Too much was on my mind. Throwing my blanket off, I got up and left my dorm to walk, I was still in my uniform since I didn't bother changing. It was risky since it was passed curfew but I really needed to clear my mind. The halls of Hogwarts were quiet as I walked around.

As I wandered the halls, I kept a sharp eye out for Mrs. Norris and Filch. I really did not need anymore stress and getting a detention would only make my stress worse. Of course, life was going to treat me bad tonight as I was walking, Mrs. Norris meowed loudly and appeared in front of me.

I froze instantly and heard Filch's voice. I backed away for a moment before turning around quickly and ran as fast as I could, Mrs. Norris' meows were louder and I panicked a little as I turned a corner. I slowed to a stop and panted heavily from the run.

I could hear Filch talking, he was getting closer. I looked around in panic. Nowhere to hide. I cursed silently and backed away. Suddenly a hand covered my mouth and I yelped loudly in response as I got pulled under some kind of silky fabric that I could see through. "Shh! Do you want to get us caught?!" I heard a familiar voice say. I shook my head and the hand moved from my mouth. I turned around and came face to face with Harry. Our green eyes locking.

"Why are you out here Harry?" I asked, keeping my voice low. "I could ask you the same thing." He said. I shook my head in amusement. "I couldn't sleep, too much is on my mind." I said, looking at Harry.

He looked at me, frowning. "What's on your mind?" he asked. I shook my head. "It's nothing important." I lied, looking down. "It's about Malfoy isn't it?" he asked.

I sighed softly, looking at the floor. "Yes, but I don't want to talk about it." I murmured. I heard Mrs. Norris meow loudly behind me, making Harry and I jump in response. He grabbed my wrist and ran. I stumbled a bit and ran with him.

After running a good distance, we both finally stopped, panting heavily. I looked at the silky fabric around us. "What is this?" I asked, running my fingers along the fabric. "My invisibility cloak. I got it on Christmas during my first year here." He said between pants.

My eyes widened in disbelief. Invisibility cloaks are very rare."You're joking?!" I exclaimed quietly. He looked at me, his expression showing that he was serious. I felt a large grin form on my face. "Damn, that's a great gift."

Looking around, I saw that we were near the hallway that leads to the Slytherin Dungeons. "Well, it looks like we ran towards the dungeons. I think I'll head back since I won't get caught now." I explained, looking at Harry. "Ok, be careful Raven." he said and lifted the invisibility cloak for me. I stepped out and looked at it go back over Harry, making him disappear.

I thanked him and went to the Common Room and up to my dorm. I changed into my night clothes and went to bed, for once falling asleep quickly.

 **\- -Monday, December 2, 1996- -**

I was talking to Midna and Opal with worry while we sat at the Slytherin table since it was lunch time. Draco had been looking panicked for the last few days, especially today. As I was talking, Midna and Opal looked forward, their eyes widening. "What?" I asked and they both pointed forward. I turned around and saw Draco standing by the table a few feet away, he was looking at us.

Draco and I made eye contact, dull grey meeting vibrant green. It didn't take much for me to see the fear in his eyes. The eye contact broke and he suddenly began tugging on his tie like he was having trouble breathing and turned around quickly, walking out of the Great Hall like he was in a hurry.

I shot out of my seat and went after him. Something was making him panic. I followed him as he walked quickly and looked around. I walked faster in an attempt to keep up with him. He was very fast and made a quick right turn into the bathroom.

I started running to catch up to him, not slowing until I got near the bathroom entrance. I walked more quietly and hid myself. Not prepared to see what was going on in there..

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	4. Chapter 4

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 4: Newfound Protection- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Monday, December 2, 1996- -**

I stood at the doorway of the bathroom and looked inside, Draco stood in front of the sink. I watched as he quickly took the Slytherin vest off and tossed it to the side and turned the water on, staring into the mirror as his breathing became uneven and fast.

Worry overtook me as he splashed water on his face and started sobbing. My heart sunk as I heard his sobs and I walked towards him.

"Draco?" I said softly, standing next to him, placing my right hand on his left shoulder. He turned his head quickly and looked down at me, tears streaming down his cheeks, his bottom lip trembling. He tried to speak, but only soft whimpers came out and he slid to the floor as more tears streamed down his face.

I got on my knees and pulled Draco into my arms in an attempt to comfort him. He stiffened and looked at me for a moment before relaxing and wrapping his arms around me, burying his head into my shoulder and sobbing. I rubbed his back softly, whispering to him to let it all out.

After about fifteen minutes, his sobs died down. "Are you feeling any better Draco?" He nodded weakly and we pulled away. I looked at him with concern and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Now what has been troubling you so much for these last few weeks that caused you to have a panic attack today?" I asked softly. He looked at me, unresponsive.

I frowned. "Please tell me Draco, I can help." I reassured him. he shook his head. "No one can help me Raven." He said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I won't know if I can help you unless you tell me Draco. Remember, I told you that you can tell me anything, no matter what. Please, I'm worried about you. Tell me what's wrong." I pleaded.

Draco sighed softly, tears beginning to fall down his face again. "My family is planning to make me become a Death Eater whether I want to or not, they'll make me become one. I will be getting the Dark Mark in a few months." He said, his voice cracking.

My eyes widened as anger surged through me. "Draco, I can protect you from getting the Dark Mark. I know how to protect you from getting it." I said sternly.

He looked at me in disbelief. "That's not possible Raven. The Protection Spell can only be cast by the Scarletts as it is highly advanced and it is their own spell. It's a lost cause as they disappeared centuries ago.." He muttered.

I sighed, he was going to get quite the surprise. I pulled out my wand and pointed it at him, chanting the Protection Spell and doing the hand movement _"Tenebris praesidium!"_ His eyes went wide when my wand glowed in response. A black ring formed the cartilage of his right ear, which was painful and a thin line of blood trickled down his ear.

((A/N: This is the hand movement, it's a backwards S connecting to an M and that connects to an S: ƧMS ))

Draco hissed in pain, his hand going to his ear in response. Putting my wand away, I looked at Draco and he looked at me in shock. "Y-you're a Scarlett?!" He exclaimed, his eyes were wide.

I nodded, giving him a weak smile. "I just can't leave you behind to suffer that horrible fate of becoming a Death Eater or the pain of getting the Dark Mark. My family will protect you Draco, you have the Protection Spell on you."

Draco looked at me, tears streaming down his cheeks. He hugged me tight, burying his head into my shoulder "Thank you.." He whispered. I hugged him back. "I will always be here for you Draco. Never forget that." I whispered, rubbing his back softly.

I heard him let out a mix between a sob and a soft laugh. "Where have you been all my life?" He asked and pulled away, he was smiling weakly as tears continued to run down his cheeks.

"Do you want to go to the Common Room? I do believe you need a break from being around everyone else after this." I said, looking at him. He nodded and we both left the bathroom.

As we walked back, Draco looked at me. "So this is why you were uncomfortable about that lesson we had on Halloween." he said and I nodded. "I'll explain why later." I said.

Once we got to the Slytherin Common Room, we both sat on the leather loveseat. I felt Draco wrap his arms around me and pulled me onto his lap, his chin resting on top of my head. I squeaked in surprise. He has never let me be this close before. "Draco, are you OK?" I asked and felt him tighten his grip around me softly, as though he'd lose me if he let go. "I just want to be with you right now. I don't want to be alone." He whispered.

"Then I will stay here with you for as long as you want, but Draco, I must notify my family of this situation and request them to protect you. May I run to my dorm to get my owl, quill and some parchment? It'll only take a minute." I asked, looking at him. He nodded weakly and let go of me.

I got up and ran to my dorm. I went to my bed and grabbed my ink, quill and some fresh parchment. I whistled to my Great Horned owl, Smokey, who flew to me and landed on my left arm. I walked back down to the Common Room and sat on a chair, Draco came over and sat next to me as I set a black envelope out along with a green candle that was now lit.

Setting the parchment on the table, I began writing.

 _ **Dear Mother & Father,**_

 _ **Earlier today on December 2, 1996, I had found Draco Lucius Malfoy crying in the bathroom from severe stress. He had informed me that in a few months, he would be getting the Dark Mark against his will. I did not want him to suffer this, so I had placed the Protection Spell on him. He is now aware of our family being the Scarletts.**_

 _ **I am requesting you to protect Draco Lucius Malfoy from anyone who threatens to make him a Death Eater. If he requests to have any of his family members protected, please do so if you agree to protect him.**_

 _ **Your daughter, Raven Mancer.**_

After reading it over, I placed it in a black envelope and with the candle, I dripped some wax to seal it and pulled out my family's wax seal stamp and pushed on the green wax. I whistled to Smokey again and gave him my letter. "Take it to my family immediately." I said. Smokey hooted and flew off to a special exit.

I looked over at Draco. He was hunched over, his body shaking softly. I grabbed his hand gently and pulled him to the loveseat and sat down with him. "Draco, what's wrong?" I asked, looking at him. He looked at me, fear in his eyes. "W-what if your family refuses to p-protect me?" he asked, his voice cracking.

I put my left hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes. "Then I will protect you, but they will protect you Draco." I said softly. He closed his eyes and rested his head in my hand as tears began to fall down his face.

It broke my heart to see him in such a bad state, he no longer seemed like himself. I placed my hand on his and scooted closer to him. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Raven.." he mumbled, "Please don't leave.." he whispered. I squeezed his hand softly. "I won't leave Draco." I reassured him.

I scooted back a bit. "Lay your head on my lap. You can relax that way." I said, looking at Draco. He looked at me for a moment and lied down, his head resting my lap now and closing his eyes. I ran my fingers through his hair softly for the first time. Draco let out a weak hum in response, his expression showed that he was scared despite liking the grooming.

Looking down at him, I started humming to calm him down. He opened his eyes upon hearing my voice and gazed at me. I hummed gently, my voice was soft. "You have a nice voice." he whispered. I smiled as I ran my fingers through his hair, humming softly. Draco closed his eyes again, his body beginning to relax. I watched as his breathing slowed, indicating he had fallen asleep.

I sighed softly, watching Draco's chest rise and fall slowly. Things are going to change once I find out what my family says. If they agree, then I may need to consult Dumbledore about this. I really hope they protect Draco. I soon fell asleep while stroking Draco's hair.

 **\- -A few hours later- -**

I woke up to my owl hooting impatiently. Yawning and stretching, I looked to see that Smokey was on Draco's stomach while holding a black envelope that had a green wax seal with the Mancer crest. I shook my head and shooed him off. "Smokey, get off of him!" I yelled in a whisper and grabbed the envelope and Smokey flew off.

Part of me was nervous as hell as I opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. I looking at it, it read:

 _ **Dear Raven Mancer,**_

 _ **Thank you for consulting Louis Mancer and me about the situation. We hereby confirm that Draco Lucius Malfoy is now under our protection. We will consult the other members of our family to join in on the protection. You, Raven Mancer, will keep in contact with us on any updates that come and if things become urgent, you may floo to us with Draco Lucius Malfoy. We agree to protect his family if he requests so.**_

 _ **Sincerely, Margret Mancer and Louis Mancer**_

A huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders and I sighed loudly. Draco will be happy to hear the news. Looking down at him, I noticed how peaceful he looked. His expression was more relaxed and his right arm was hanging off the loveseat.

I hate that I had to wake him, but he must hear the news. Sighing, I placed my hand on his shoulder and shook him gently. "Draco, wake up." I said softly. He didn't budge so I shook a bit harder and repeated what I said. He groaned and mumbled, "Five more minutes.." before falling back asleep.

Narrowing my eyes, I grabbed him and forced him to sit up. He swore and looked at me groggily. "Draco, my family replied." I said before he could complain about being woken up.

Draco's eyes widened, he stared at me intensely. "What did they say Raven?" he asked, anxiety in his voice. I looked at him and said happily, "They said you are officially under their protection."

Draco's expression went from worried to relieved in an instant. He sighed and rested his right hand on his forehead. "Oh thank Merlin.." He breathed, closing his eyes. I smiled and stretched again while yawning. "You're safe now Draco. I will be protecting you as well." I said, turning my head to look at him.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. "What will happen now Raven?" he asked. I thought for a moment. "Hmm.. well for now I will plan on getting a meeting set up with my family. You may need to start coming to my manor during breaks with me from now on as your manor may not be safe anymore now that you have the Protection Spell on you." I explained.

He looked at me and nodded weakly. "I'll owl my mother that I'll be spending my winter break with you then. Also, Raven, can you tell me the reason for being uncomfortable with that lesson on the Scarletts? You are one after all and I want to understand that family because it's apparent that they never actually disappeared." He asked.

I sighed softly and gazed at him. "OK, but I can only warn you that you may not like me after what I tell you. The details you will be hearing are dark and disturbing. Even I shudder at the thoughts of what they did." I warned. He sucked in a breath and nodded weakly.

 _"The Scarletts were an ancient Romanian Pure-Blood family, who at the time, were notorious for their use of the Dark Arts, including the Unforgivables. They became Dark Wizards around the time the witch-burning began and constantly attacked muggles for the burnings. Many muggles were tortured to insanity by the Cruciatus Curse and some were just killed off with the Killing Curse. It was quite rare for the Scarletts to use the Imperius Curse. Despite their uses of the curses, they did not have any sort of change in appearance._

 _Because of their actions towards muggles, they became well known in Romania and even here in Britain. They were fought back by other wizards and many died. As a result, the Scarlett line began to lower. Even when the witch burning ended, many of the Scarletts refused to believe that it had ended and kept attacking muggles. This increased the deaths of both muggles and Scarletts._

 _By the beginning of the eighteenth century, when the three curses were made unforgivable, the Scarletts were targeted more than ever. This sparked the youngest Scarlett generation to realize the dangers of their family's actions and after a lot of work and a major, hidden meeting, the Scarletts went into hiding. The youngest generation chose to change their children's surnames to Mancer as to show their change of heart._

 _Many of the older Scarletts did get captured, but the youngest generation went into hiding. They made sure that the new Mancer children kept their family past a secret. Strangely, their captures were not documented._

 _Over time, the newfound Mancers repopulated with other Romanian Pure-Bloods and after the creation of the Protection Spell, every Mancer that is born is given this protection. As indicated by the black rings in their ears. Like the ones in my ear, they signify the Protection Spell. It is until today, that no one has known the truth of the Scarletts and the real reason for their disappearance. No one, except for me, my family and now you, will know the true past of my family."_ I concluded.

Draco looked at me with wide eyes, his mouth open in shock. "I.. Bloody hell, that is dark. I didn't know you were Romanian either."

I nodded. "Yes I am Romanian. Despite the Scarletts being well known here, no one knew they were Romanian, not enough stories to mention it. I'm surprised you didn't notice I was because of my accent. We also have a reason to keep our family past a secret. If anyone finds out, not only will my family and I face backlash, but I can kiss my future goodbye. I can't believe you are still talking to me after what I have told you." I said, looking at Draco.

He snorted softly. "Raven, my family are known for being Pure-blood supremacists. I was raised to believe that Pure-bloods are superior to those of lower blood status. I believed that at first and acted cruelly to please my father. Now though, I just don't know anymore." he said softly, looking down.

I scooted closer to Draco and placed my hand on his shoulder. "It's never too late to choose what you believe in, rather than having your father choose for you. Maybe it's time to take that first step Draco. It shouldn't matter what he thinks if it all it does is cause you too much stress." I said softly, looking into his eyes.

His eyes locked into mine, a small smile formed on his face. "Maybe I will take that first step Raven, but right now, I just need to clear my head after all that happened today."

I nodded and gazed at the floor. "We will need to discuss more on this later Draco, there are important details I must explain. I will let you rest for a bit longer first though." I said and laid down on the loveseat, my head bumping Draco's knee in the process.

 **\- -A few hours later- -**

I must have fallen asleep because I soon felt my shoulder being shaken softly and heard a weak voice. "Raven, get up. Please.." I blinked a bit and looked to see Draco looking panicked. I sat up rather too quickly and got light headed. Rubbing my temples, I turned to face Draco. "Draco, what's wrong?" I asked, worried.

He swallowed, looking into my eyes. "I'm worried about what will happen now Raven. My mother could be in grave danger once the news of being placed under the Protection Spell is out. The Dark Lord will be furious and may lash out at my mother."

I bit my lip. "Do you want my family to take your mother to my manor to keep her protected?" I asked. Draco looked at me with pleading eyes. "Yes please. She's the only one who cares about me Raven, she doesn't want me to get the Dark Mark." he said worryingly.

Nodding, I got up and walked to the table where I still had some parchment and a few extra envelopes sitting. "OK, I will owl my family now. I must tell you this Draco, with this newfound protection you have, you will need to stay with me during holidays and during the summer since it is no longer safe for you to be at your manor. And we need to go to Dumbledore to tell him of this. He may just be able to set up a Floo Network to my manor so that if something happens, I can get to my family quickly with no issue." I said and began writing.

 **\- -Later that night- -**

I sighed softly while running my fingers through Draco's hair. My parents had confirmed that they will protect Draco's mother and are working on contacting her to give her details on what has been happening and will request her to come and stay at my manor for her own safety.

I jumped a bit when I heard Draco sneeze. "Bless you." I giggled. He sniffed and chuckled and sat up, stretching his body after laying down for the last few hours.

"Did we miss dinner?" He asked. "Yeah. Midna might bring some food when she comes back here." I said and stretched my stiff muscles, yawning in the process. Hearing the stone wall open, I turned my head and saw Midna and the other Slytherins coming in.

I waved at Midna and she quickly came over. "Is everything alright Raven? You never came back after what happened during breakfast." She asked. I shook my head and mouthed 'I'll tell you later.' to her and she nodded. "You and Draco never showed up for classes or lunch or dinner so I brought a bit of food for you both." She said and pulled out a few apples and some sandwiches.

I smiled and grabbed them and tossed an apple at Draco, who caught it quickly thanks to his Seeker reflexes and bit into it. Midna left and went up to the girls dorm while Draco and me both ate. Things were going to change now.

 **\- -** **Draco's POV** **\- -Thursday, December 5, 1996- -**

As I laid in bed, my thoughts drifted over to Raven. She was different compared to the other girls in Slytherin. For one, she became one of my closest and most amazing friends I've ever had. She has such a wonderful personality and she is also quite beautiful.

I sighed softly, smiling. I had only recently realized that I had fallen in love with her. I remember feeling so worried about Raven's safety when I got owled about getting the Dark Mark that it was then that I realized I liked Raven for more than just a friend, which in turn made it harder on me.

I still found it hard to believe that Raven is a Scarlett, but the underlying proof is the ring in my ear and witnessing her place the Protection Spell on me first hand. I even tried that Lumos trick and the ring did glow red so I couldn't deny that it was a fake.

Knowing that she is from a powerful family has calmed me down, but I'm still worrying about what will happen. If my father ever manages to escape Azkaban and find out about this, he will likely hunt Raven and I down and kill us both.

Shuddering at the thought of him escaping, I blew out the candle on my nightstand and closed my eyes in an attempt to sleep.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	5. Chapter 5

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 5: Winter Break at Mancer Manor- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Wednesday, December 18, 1996- -**

Winter Break started today and Draco and I were on the train back to King's Cross to stay at Mancer Manor for the Winter Holidays and I was excited to show Draco around. I was currently deep in thought on what would be happening. Draco would meeting my family and learning from all of us on defensive spells. Not only that, he would get to increase his strength on the spells as well.

Humming softly, I gazed out the window, watching the scenery move by. I got bored after about five minutes and shifted my gaze towards Draco and looked at the black ring in his ear. To think that such a powerful spell meant to protect those from getting the Dark Mark comes in the form of a black ring. It's strange, but it works.

I raised my hand towards his ear and gently played with the black ring. Draco jumped at the sudden touch, but didn't complain. We've gotten closer as friends over the last couple of weeks since my revealing of my family being the Scarletts. He's still getting used to knowing that he's now got the Protection Spell on him, but there are nights when he wakes up from nightmares of the event not happening and ending up forced into becoming a Death Eater.

On the other hand, Draco was looking forward to spending time with me at my manor. His mother was also there, much to his relief. I had told Draco that my mother, father and two brothers live there. We would be meeting my mother at the station.

I felt myself growing tired and let out a quiet yawn. The ride back would be a few more hours and there wasn't much to do. "Will you wake me when we're almost there?" I asked, looking at Draco. He gazed down at me and noticed my tired expression. "Yes, I will. You can rest your head on my lap if you want." he replied. I readjusted my position and rested my head on his lap comfortably and closed my eyes. The scent of apples, vanilla and expensive cologne hitting my nose. I felt him run his fingers through my hair as I dozed off.

 **\- -Timeskip to King's Cross Station- -**

"Raven, get up, we're at the station." said Draco as he shook me awake. I opened my eyes and yawned and sat up. "OK, OK, I'm up Draco. Let's go meet my mother." I said and grabbed my bag. Draco got up and joined me as we left the compartment and exited the train. Looking around as we walked, I spotted my mother up ahead and grinned. "Draco, over here!" I said and walked to her.

My mother was wearing a dark green, long sleeved and ankle length velvet dress adorned with black lace and emeralds at the neckline. She wore a simple wedding ring on her right hand. She has dark brown hair that is curly at the ends and is braided elegantly, her eyes were a icy blue that were nearly as piercing as Draco's silvery eyes and like the rest of my family, she has pale skin. Along with that she had the signature black ring of the Protection Spell in her right ear.

She saw Draco and I and smiled once we stood by her. "Hello Raven." she said and looked at Draco. "And you must be Draco Malfoy. Raven said you'd be joining us at our manor. I'm Margret Mancer, Raven's mother." She said politely and held out her hand. Draco nodded and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Mrs. Mancer. Thank you for letting me stay and for protecting my mother and I from the Dark Lord." Draco said politely, smiling.

Mother let go of Draco's hand and looked at both of us. "Are you both ready to go?" she asked. We both nodded and she held her arms out. We both grabbed on and felt the sensation of apparition. After a few moments we landed in front of the gates which had vines growing over them.

My mother pulled out her wand (elm wood, dragon heartstring and 10 inches in length) and tapped the gate five times in a certain pattern and the gate opened. We all entered the walkway and I looked over at Draco, who was staring in awe as the manor came into view.

Mancer Manor is quite beautiful. It is made of dark stone and surrounded by beautiful gardens and streams. Black rose bushes and shrubs are elegantly planted around the manor and there are even climbing vines growing along the walls that have blood red roses blooming on them. The manor itself is large, about as large as Malfoy Manor according to Draco after I had told him the size.

Draco looked around as we walked to the front doors, he couldn't help but look at the rose bushes and shrubs. They not only grew black roses, but some even had some very dark red and dark purple roses that look black from a distance. I giggled softly and smiled at his curiosity. We soon arrived at the doors and my mother pushed them open. "Welcome to Mancer Manor, Draco Malfoy." she said and we all entered. Draco stared in amazement.

The interior was just as beautiful: Crystal chandeliers with white candles in the room we were in (many rooms had these) sparkled in the soft glow of the candles, ebony wood floors were the most common flooring. The walls were a deep emerald green on the upper half (including the ceiling), while the bottom half was black. There were black stained oak end tables along side the leather loveseat.

A large fireplace stood in the far corner of the room, a fire crackling softly. On the sides of the fireplace were two black velvet cushioned armchairs, one of which was occupied by my father, who was looking at us as my mother went to sit with him. He smiled and stood up. "Welcome home Raven." he said and looked over at Draco. "And you are Draco Malfoy, correct?" he asked.

Draco nodded curtly. "Yes sir." My father nodded back and held his hand out. "I am Louis Mancer. Head of the Mancers and Raven's father." Draco shook his hand and smiled politely.

My father has the signature Mancer appearance: Pale skin, black hair and green eyes. His hair was long and straight, going past his shoulders by a few inches and perfectly tied back in a low ponytail. He is quite intimidating, but he is very kind and protective of those he loves and cares for.

I stood by and watched them talk, smiling. It felt good being home, it was safe, secure and relaxing, not to mention huge. I looked forward showing Draco around. I was taken out of my thoughts when a voice echoed in the room. "Oh Draco, you're here!"

Draco and I both looked in the direction of the voice. It was Narcissa, she looked relieved and happy to see Draco safe and sound. "Mother!" Draco cried and sped towards her happily. I smiled as they both hugged. Draco was grinning ear to ear seeing her. Narcissa rested her hand on Draco's cheek and looked at him with a smile. "I'm so glad you're alright. I've been told that you are now protected from getting the Dark Mark."

He nodded and pointed to the small black ring in his right ear. "I am, but if word gets out to the wrong people..we could all get in grave danger. I do not want He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to find out about this. It's already a high risk in Slytherin and with many of the Slytherins having Death Eater parents, it's only worse." he said worryingly.

Hearing this, I walked over to Draco and put my hand on his shoulder, which looked rather awkward with my short stature. "We'll get through this Draco. My family will do everything in their power to protect you. And the staff at Hogwarts will do what they can to protect us as well." I said reassuringly.

He shook his head and looked down at me. "We'll be attacked by Death Eater supporters at school if word gets out about this Raven. I'm already at high risk with my cronies being the sons of Death Eaters, if they find out, they'll find a way to tell the others and even get my father to hear about it in Azkaban. I don't want you to get hurt Raven."

I frowned at this info. I hadn't thought about Crabbe and Goyle. They would very likely tell their parents. Sighing, I looked at Draco. "I'll set up a meeting with my family and get some plans worked out. Maybe for now Draco, we should settle down and rest. It's been a long day, besides, I need to show you around, but after we go to my bedroom." I said. Draco sighed in disappointment but nodded.

I nodded curtly to my parents and to Narcissa and left with Draco. We went up the stairs and down a long hallway that was lit with candles held in special holders against the walls. After passing four doors, I opened the fifth door on the right that a had silver plaque with my name on it and walked inside.

My bedroom had the ebony flooring, but there was a large plush black throw rug on the floor that my queen sized, four poster bed sat each side of my bed, there were two nightstands.

The walls were the same dark emerald green, but had black wall paper in the middle.

There was a large window with thick black curtains pulled to the sides and a desk in front of the window. In the other part of the room was a backdoor that led to a deck that you can walk on.

To the left of the door I was standing in front of, there was a door to my walk in closet that held all of my dresses. To the right of my door, there was a magic powered cooler that held drinks such as water and pumpkin juice. Next to the cooler was my dresser that held the rest of my clothes. And next to the dresser was the door to my private bathroom.

((A/N: There is a photo layout on Wattpad that I made of Raven's bedroom and it has a better explanation just by it's appearance than how I explained it.))

I walked over to my bed and sat down on it, took off my coat and shoes, telling Draco to do the same, and laid down against the pillows, sighing contently. I felt the bed sink slightly as Draco sat down next to me. Looking at him, I smiled softly. "You comfortable?" I asked. He shrugged, looking at the floor.

My smile faded and I crawled over to him, feeling concerned. "Draco, everything will be OK. Nothing will happen while we're here." I said comfortingly. He looked at me with doubt in his eyes.

I sighed softly and gently pushed him onto his back, he looked at me in surprise. "Look Draco, I understand that you are anxious right now, but I can assure you that I am prepared for whatever that might happen." I comforted.

Draco sighed and stared at the ceiling of my four poster bed, one of his hands landing on a pillow. "OK, but I want to know what exactly you are prepared for." he said and I smiled softly and laid next to him. "Alright. Anyway, while you are here, you can enjoy yourself. In a bit, we can get a room set up for you to sleep in." I said and ran my fingers through his hair softly.

"When do you plan on leaving my hair alone Raven?" he asked with slight amusement. I giggled and ruffled his hair softly. "Hey!" he exclaimed and did the most un-Malfoy thing: He grabbed the pillow his hand was on and whacked me in the face with it.

I blinked a few times and grinned, "Draco Lucius Malfoy, you are so dead!" I yelled and grabbed the pillow. Draco's eyes widened and he immediately got up with a laugh. "Shit!" he yelped and barely moved when the pillow hit the back of his head, messing up his hair even more.

I got Draco few more times and he got me back with another pillow, both of us laughing and acting like children. "So this is the source of the yelling and laughter I've heard for the last ten minutes." An amused voice chimed in.

We both stopped and looked in the direction of the voice. Leaning against the door frame was my older brother Leo, who was grinning in amusement. Leo had the same appearance as any Mancer did. His black hair was shaved at the sides to a short cut while the top was a row of messy, curly hair. He was wearing a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up allowing his studded bracelets to been seen, black pants with a matching studded belt and black socks. He's a bit of a rebel with his appearance compared to his twin brother.

((A/N: Photo of Leo is on Wattpad.))

I laughed and walked over to him. "Hey Leo!" I said happily and hugged him for a moment then stepped back. He chuckled and patted my head. "Hey little sis. How's Hogwarts so far?" he asked.

"It's good so far. A lot has happened." I said, looking at Leo. I heard footsteps behind me and looked over my shoulder, Draco was walking up to us after he tried to fix his hair. I smiled and looked back over at Leo. "I'm sure you heard about Draco getting the Protection Spell?" I asked.

He nodded, his gaze shifting over to Draco for a moment. "Yeah, I did. So you're _actually_ capable of performing such a spell? I didn't think it was possible." he teased, grinning. I scoffed and whacked him on the arm playfully. "Oh shut it you!" I laughed. I could hear Draco snickering behind me.

I shook my head in amusement and looked at Draco. "Draco, this is Leo. Leo this is Draco." I said, stepping back to let them meet. Draco held out his hand, "Nice to meet you Leo." he said and Leo shook his hand, both smiling. "Nice to meet you too, Draco."

They both nodded curtly at each other and Leo looked over at me. "Why don't you go say hi to my bother, he's up in his room. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you and meet Draco." he suggested and left before I could answer.

Shrugging, I looked over at Draco, who looked at me. "You wanna go meet my other brother?" I asked. He nodded. "Sure." he said. "Follow me." I said and left my bedroom.

We walked down the hallway, passing about seven doors until we reached two doors at the end of the hall. They both had the same silver plaques on each door. The door on the left has Leo's name and the door on the right has his twin's name, Crow.

I knocked on the door and after about ten seconds, the door opened and Crow appeared.

Crow had the same Mancer appearance, but unlike our brother Leo, he has a more mature and high class appearance. His black hair is long and straight and like our father, he has it pulled back into a low ponytail. He's dressed in a long sleeved dress shirt and black pants like Leo, except more proper. Two black rings sat in his left earlobe.

((A/N: Photo of Crow is on Wattpad.))

He looked at me and smiled. "Well there you are Raven. I was wondering when you'd come say hello to me." he said in a polite tone and noticed Draco behind me. "You're Draco, correct?" he asked. Draco nodded and held his hand out. "Yes, I'm Draco Malfoy."

Crow stepped out and shook his hand. "I am Crow Mancer, Leo's twin brother and Raven's older brother. Welcome to our manor." he said politely. Draco nodded and Crow looked over at me. "So Raven tell me, did you get your school work completed or do I have to get on your arse?" he teased. I giggled and put my hands on my hips. "I got a majority of my work done thank you very much. I have some left, but I'll finish it all in a bit. I need to settle down first."

He smiled. "Good, now run along, I do believe that dinner will be ready soon." I nodded and left with Draco. "Just how many brothers do you have Raven?" asked Draco in amusement. "Just Leo and Crow. They're four years older than me." I answered as we walked down the hallway. "Oh." was all he said.

As we walked down the stairs, we could hear a conversation going on between Narcissa and my mother. I didn't bother listening to what they were saying and went to the drawing room. My father was sitting in the same armchair and was talking to Leo, who was laying on the velvet sofa, levitating a quill lazily.

Draco wandered around and looked out one of the many large windows while I went over to sit with my father. I hummed softly, watching Leo mess with the quill. He noticed me and a mischievous grin formed on his face and he levitated the quill towards me. "I'm going to get you Raven." he chanted.

My eyes widened in realization and I got up quickly with a squeal as the quill began tickling me. I laughed and ran around, trying to bat the quill away. I could hear my father laughing as I fell onto the floor. I laughed harder from the fall and weakly tried bat away the offending quill again.

Draco had turned to look at the sudden noise and he too began laughing after staring in surprise for a few moments. After a good struggle of trying to avoid the quill, Leo finally lifted the spell. I laid on the floor trying to catch my breath. "I'll get you back Leo!" I called, grinning.

A loud pop a few feet away got our attention. We all looked over to see Pinky, the Mancer house elf. "Master Mancer, dinner is ready." she said. My father stood up and nodded. "Thank you Pinky, you may go now." he said and she nodded and disappeared with a pop.

I got myself off the floor and dusted my clothes off and walked to the dining room, I could hear Draco walking behind me. Louder footsteps behind me indicated Crow coming down. We all arrived at the dining room and I took my seat, Draco sitting next to me. Leo and Crow sat across from us. Mother, Father and Narcissa were already at the table.

I smiled at them and watched the food appear on the table. My father of course had to take the first bite as tradition and we soon all dug in. With Narcissa present, I knew that we had to tone down how we were at the table. I got into a conversation with Mother and Father about how school has been, Draco chimed in as well. We both talked about the day I placed the Protection Spell on him.

Draco shuddered visibly. "I hope my father never hears about it." he muttered. Narcissa looked at him with a concerned expression. "There's a chance that he might find out Draco, but if that does happen, then you will be brought here."

I nodded in agreement. "The wards here are powerful and only let in those who are recognized. No amount of polyjuice potion or any other methods will fool the wards we have put up." I said reassuringly. Draco sighed softly in relief. "I damn well hope he doesn't anyway." he muttered.

"Language Draco!" snapped Narcissa. Draco rolled his eyes while I giggled softly. I could hear my father chuckling as well.

Dinner went well after that. Once it ended, I got up while Draco went to talk with my father and brothers to get to know them better. I went up to my room to take a quick shower. I entered my room and walked into my private bathroom.

The bathroom had light grey walls, black marble flooring and large candle lamps that lit up the bathroom nicely. There was the usual bathroom basics, but the bathtub and shower were completely separate. I walked over to the shower, turned it on and undressed. I removed my makeup with my wand and stepped into the shower.

I sighed as the warm water ran down my body, my thoughts drifting over to how things will be from now on as I started washing myself. Draco seemed to be uneasy, but at the same time he seemed relaxed and content with being here. I have taken notice of how much he's changed since we met. He's more open and smiles a lot more.

I then remembered how Draco used to act once when we first met. It was quite the difference and it seems to be doing Draco well if he's showing more of himself rather than hiding it. Although he's told me he must keep up a mask in certain situations, which in my experience with my own father, I can understand.

Draco has shown a more caring side, hell he's even done things that I didn't expect. Like earlier today with the pillow, I never thought he'd go as far as that to hit me with one. It was nice to see him let loose for once. He always seemed to be tense while in public, but when it was just me and him, he was more relaxed.

I furrowed my brows, something else came to my mind: Draco has been letting me stay closer to him physically, like ever since the day I gave him protection, he's been a lot more...affectionate. Like he lets me lay my head in his lap, he'll run his fingers through my hair or he'll even hold me in his arms.

Could it be that he was developing feelings for me or am I over analyzing? I love Draco deeply. I care about him. Even with his past, I can see past it. I know he was prejudiced with those who aren't pure-blood, but he said that he did at one time believe it, but he soon stopped and only pretended to believe it to avoid punishment from his father.

I sighed, deciding not to think about it too much and turned the shower off. I grabbed my towels and wrapped one around my body and the other around my hair. I quickly dried myself off and got into some clean clothes. I tossed my towels and clothes from before I showered into the clothes bin and left the bathroom.

I walked over to my nightstand and grabbed my brush and started brushing my hair to straighten it out. I could faintly hear laughter coming from the drawing room where my father, brothers and Draco were. Placing my brush down, I looked in the mirror for a quick moment to make sure my hair was brushed properly and walked downstairs to see what those four were up to.

Once I got to the bottom step, I could hear my father telling Draco about the Mancers and the wands they often had, specifically the ones born into the Mancer name rather than married into.

"So my wand here is made of Rowan wood and has a dragon heartstring core. It's thirteen inches and had rigid flexibility. Nearly every Mancer has a wand made of Rowan wood. Other wands that the Mancers have typically are Alder, Elm, or Willow. Alder and Rowan are the most common. And the cores typically vary between dragon heartstring and phoenix feather. They are often black in color." explained my father, he had his wand out, it was black and had small swirling carvings in the handle.

Draco nodded in interest and looked at Leo and Crow. "What are your wands?" he asked.

Crow pulled out his wand, it too was black. "Mine is Rowan with dragon heartstring, eleven inches and unyielding." he said, looking at Draco.

Leo pulled out his wand next, again black. "Alder with phoenix feather, twelve inches and pliant. What's yours Draco?" he asked.

Draco pulled out his. "It's Hawthorn with unicorn hair, ten inches precisely and reasonably springy."

I couldn't help but giggle and walked over to them and sat down next to Draco. "Hello." I said cheerfully. They all nodded and Draco looked over at me. "Raven, since all of us are on the topic of wands, what is yours exactly?" he asked.

I giggled more and looked at Draco. "It's Elm with phoenix feather, twelve and three-quarter inches and unbending." I explained. He nodded and looked at the others. I joined in on their conversation and talked to Draco for a few hours. We all drank some butterbeer while we talked and by late evening, we decided to call it a night. Draco and I both went upstairs.

"So Draco, your bedroom is right next to mine. So if you need anything you can come to me." I said and walked up to a door next to mine, the door had a silver plaque with Draco's name on it. I opened it and it had a similar interior like mine. We both walked inside and I looked at Draco as he went to the bed where his stuff was.

"So, I'll right next door Draco. If for some reason you need me in the middle of night, don't hesitate on waking me up OK." I said as I stood by the door. Draco nodded as he went through his stuff in his trunk.

"Well I'll see you in the morning Draco." I said and left his room and went to mine. I closed the door and went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and got into my nightgown and laid in bed for a half hour before falling asleep for the night.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	6. Chapter 6

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 6: Spells and Anxiety- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, December 21, 1996- -**

A few days have passed since we came to my manor. Draco has been getting along with my brothers quite well. My father has gotten Draco to laugh a lot, which has improved his mood quite a bit. I managed to finish all of my schoolwork so I can now relax for the rest of the break.

Draco had agreed to let me train him in Defence Against the Dark Arts. My family would aid me if needed. We were all in the dining room having breakfast, Draco and I were talking about the training and figuring out what to do during these sessions. Since Draco was already very skilled in the subject, all we had to do was test him and aid him in any spells that need work.

Once breakfast ended, Draco and I both went up the stairs, down a few hallways and into a large room that was designed for dueling and practicing spells.

"OK Draco, we already went over what we'd do here during breakfast. Now, some training sessions will be monitored by either my brothers or my parents for some of the more tricky or dangerous spells like defeating a Boggart." I explained as we stood in the Dueling Room.

Draco nodded and pulled his wand out. "What spell will you have me cast first Raven?" he asked. I thought for a moment, pulling out my wand as well. "Hmm, well let's try the Knockback Jinx. You can hit the dummy with it." I said and he nodded, aiming his wand at the dummy I pointed out to. _"Flipendo!"_ Draco shouted and a blue light shot out of his wand and hit it hard, knocking it back a few feet onto the ground.

I smiled and flicked my wand at the dummy and it moved back into place. "Excellent Draco." I said and stood back, looking at him with a grin. "Let's try another spell." Draco nodded and I tested him out with many more spells. He did quite well with them. He already showed the skills of a Mancer, which made me smile.

After a few hours, we took a long break to have lunch and talk for a good hour and a half before continuing upon Draco's request. As we walked back to the Dueling Room, I realized something and looked at Draco. "Draco, can you cast a Patronus?" I asked. He shook his head. "I never learned how to cast one." he replied.

I hummed softly in thought as we entered the Dueling Room. "Hmm, well maybe I can teach you how." I offered. Draco looked at me, his eyes wide. "Can _you_ even cast one Raven?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I can. _Expecto Patronum!_ " I yelled and waved my wand. A black rabbit shot out and hopped around both of us. Draco's eyebrows shot up as his eyes widened even more, watching the rabbit hop around and then fade. "Well I'll be damned Raven. Why don't you teach me then." he said in amazement.

I smiled and told him the basics of what a Patronus is and stuff. "Now that you know, think of your happiness memory as you get ready to cast the spell. Now understand that you may not get the spell cast the first time as this is very advanced magic so don't be disappointed." I said and stood back.

Draco closed his eyes, thinking of a happy memory. It took a few minutes before he opened his eyes and pointed his wand up. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ he shouted, but only a white wisp of magic came out of the tip. He frowned and tried again. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ Same result, but a bit more came out.

He tried a few more times, but nothing happened other than a few white wisps. I could see the frustration and decided that enough was enough. "OK Draco, time for you to stop. We can get to this spell at a different time OK? I don't want you to overwork yourself." I cautioned.

Draco shook his head stubbornly. "I know I can do this Raven. Just let me try again!" he said desperately, attempting yet again, but to no avail. I stomped my foot down hard (which hurt) and glared at him. "DRACO MALFOY! PUT YOUR WAND DOWN THIS INSTANT!" I demanded. Draco jumped at the sudden yell and did so.

I sighed and looked at him, putting my hands on my hips. "Look Draco, I understand that you want to cast a Patronus, but it won't happen the first time. As I said before, it's advanced magic. Let's get back to this spell in a few days OK?" I suggested. Draco sighed and nodded.

"Do you want to stop for the day or continue?" I asked.

"We can continue. Maybe have a practice duel?" He asked, looking at me. I shrugged and pulled my wand out. "Sure, but we will take a break after that for the rest of the day alright?" I said and he nodded.

We both got into dueling position and started casting spells at each other. It was a lot of fun, Draco was proving to be a worthy opponent as I blocked his spells and shot my own back at him. We kept dueling until we were both out of breath and sitting on the floor panting. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I stood up and looked at Draco. "Let's go get something to drink. My bedroom is nearby and I have a magic powered cooler that I store pumpkin juice and water in in case I get thirsty while studying or in the middle of the night." I suggested.

Draco nodded and stood up as well and we both left the Dueling Room. "I could use a shower. I feel gross." he mumbled as we passed Leo's bedroom. "You could use Raven's shower and shower with her." call Leo jokingly. I blushed heavily, the thought of such a thing flooding my mind: Draco nude, soap bubbles running down his body... Dear god, that is not what I expected to ever hear. Shaking my head, I called back at Leo. "Hell no!" he laughed in response.

Draco shook his head, grinning in amusement, a faint blush on his cheeks. "I'll use the shower in my bedroom." I nodded, giggling softly. "Ignore him, Leo likes to mess around with me." I said.

We both entered my bedroom and I walked over to the cooler and opened it, grabbing a bottle of pumpkin juice. "What do you want to drink Draco?" I asked. "Hmm.. Water." he answered. I tossed a bottle of water to him and he caught it. I sat down on my bed and took a long swig of my pumpkin juice.

Draco drank half of the water bottle and set it down. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be back in a bit." he said and left the bedroom.

About twenty minutes later, I was drawing a picture when Draco entered my bedroom. "Hey Raven." he greeted and walked to me.

I looked up at him and grinned. "Feel better?" I asked. "Yes." he replied, sitting on my bed. "I'm almost done with a picture, so give me about fifteen minutes and we can do something." I said and got back to work, the only sound heard being my quill scrapping along the parchment.

I sighed once I finished the picture and set my quill down, stretching my stiff body from sitting. "OK, Draco, I'm all done." I said and turned to look at him only to see that he had fallen asleep on my bed. I cooed softly and walked to him. He looked so peaceful, his face was relaxed and his chest rose and fell softly.

It had been a long day so I decided not to wake him. As I gazed at him, I noticed bags under his eyes, something I hadn't noticed before. I frowned, wondering why he had bags under his eyes.

I reached down and gently ran my fingers through his soft hair, watching the blonde strands slip through my fingers and fall back in place. He hummed contently and nuzzled my hand. I smiled and sat down comfortably and gently pulled Draco closer, letting his head rest on my lap.

About an hour passed before Draco woke up. I was starting to doze off when I felt him move to stretch and heard a groan come from him. Opening my eyes, I looked down at him and smiled as he smiled back at me. "Have a nice nap Draco?" I asked.

"Yes, it was the best I've had for a while. How long was I asleep?" he asked, yawning.

I looked at my clock. "About an hour. Dinner is in a few hours so we have time to do something."

"What could we do?" he asked, sitting up and straightening his clothes.

"Hmm, well, we could go outside and play in the snow." I suggested.

Draco narrowed his eyes slightly. "What are we, children?" he scoffed.

I laughed in response. "Draco, we had a pillow fight the day we came here."

"Touché." he mumbled.

"Besides, playing in the snow is for all ages. C'mon, it's fun." I urged and got up.

He sighed and got up as well. "Fine, but I don't like the cold so don't expect me to hang out there for very long." he grumbled and we both got our winter clothes on. I led Draco to the backyard and opened the door. It was snowing lightly, gently landing on the snow covered ground.

I smiled and walked around the yard, Draco followed along side me, although he looked annoyed. Frowning, I scooped up some snow and threw it at his chest. "Hey!" he yelped. I giggled and threw another snowball, this time hitting his face. "Pfffft! Raven, I will get you for that!" He warned and grabbed snow.

I squealed and ran. He began chasing me and pelting me with snowballs. I scooped up snow as I ran and hit him back. We kept this up until Draco tackled me to the ground, pinning my arms above my head. He was on top of me, both of us panting from running and our eyes were locked.

I grinned and blew a small raspberry at him. His head jerked back a bit and a mischievous grin formed on his face. He let go of my arms and his hands shot to my sides and under my coat, he began tickling me mercilessly.

I squirmed and squealed in laughter. "Noo Draco, I'm ticklish there!" I cried. Draco laughed, his hands raking along my sides. "That's what you get for bringing me out into this cold and throwing snow at me." he purred, pulling me up and tickling me even more.

My laughter grew louder and I squirmed even more, moving my body until my back was against his stomach. He was laughing and held me against himself, he suddenly buried his face into my neck and mock-biting my neck playfully while making weird biting sounds.

I laughed harder. "Draco, stop it! Someone might see!" I squealed, trying to break free of Draco's hold. My cheeks reddened as I realized what this looks like with Draco having his face in my neck like that.

He finally stopped, his cheeks were dark red from laughing and the cold. "Wanna go inside now?" I asked, panting from laughing and squirming. Draco nodded and got up, letting me go. We both went inside and enjoyed the rest of the day.

 **\- -Tuesday, December 24, 1996- -**

Draco and I were standing out on the deck watching the snow fall gently as the last bit of light in the sky disappeared. I sighed contently and rest my chin on my hand. "It's beautiful tonight." I mumbled. Draco hummed in agreement.

We continued to watch the snow fall until the cold became too much and we both went inside to warm up. "Brrrrr." I shivered, pulling my coat tighter around myself. "Maybe hot cocoa will warm you up Raven." Draco suggested. "Mmm, hot cocoa sounds good. Let's go to the Drawing Room and have it in there."

We left my bedroom and walked to the Drawing Room and sat down on the sofa. Mother, Father, Leo, Crow and Narcissa were all in here as well. They greeted us and Pinky gave us both a large mug hot cocoa. I happily sipped mine and felt the warmth flow through me. I suddenly felt Draco wrap an arm around me, effectively pulling me closer so that our sides touched.

Crow chuckled softly. "You two are getting particularly cozy tonight. Did something happen?"

I shrugged. "We're just close friends. Nothing wrong with us being this close together."

Leo grinned, his eyes suddenly looking above us. "Are you sure you two are _close friends_?" he asked.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked. Draco looked confused as well.

Mother and Narcissa began whispering to each other, while Father pointed at something above us. "Maybe _that_ will answer your question." he informed, a grin on his face.

Draco and I both looked up, our eyes widened and a blush formed on our cheeks at what we saw: A mistletoe was above us. We looked at each other, shrugged and leaned in, kissing each other on the cheek.

The mistletoe disappeared after that. We all had a nice conversation for a few more hours before heading to bed. The only thing on my mind as I drifted to sleep was how I wished that I could've kissed Draco on the lips. I had no idea that he was thinking the same thing.

 **\- -Wednesday, December 25, 1996- -**

It was Christmas morning and I woke up to Draco shaking my shoulder softly. "Raven, wake up! Everyone is in the Drawing Room ready to open presents." he said and I groaned softly, sitting up. After stretching my stiff muscles, I slid out of bed and smoothed out my nightgown. I looked at Draco and noticed that he was still wearing his night clothes and his platinum blonde hair was slightly messy, but my hair was even messier.

I giggled softly. "I think we'll all be in our night clothes as we open presents." I stated and Draco chuckled. "Maybe. Let's go meet everyone and open presents." he replied and we both left my bedroom and went to the Drawing Room.

Leo grinned as we came in and sat on the sofa. "Took you long enough Raven. Your hair is a massive mess." he teased. I rolled my eyes, smiling. The Christmas tree was beautiful, adorned with all kinds of decorative balls and crystals and candles. There were a lot of presents around it as well.

All of us began opening our presents. I handed Draco the one I got for him excitedly. He looked at me curiously and removed the dark green wrapping. It was a black jewelry box. He raised a pale eyebrow and opened it, his eyes widening. Inside was a pure silver snake with emerald eyes. "This is beautiful Raven." he said and pulled it out. It shivered a bit and came to life, it slithered onto his left wrist and curled around before stopping.

I smiled. "It's charmed so that only you can take it off. I also got you this." I said, grinning as I grabbed a large bag filled with chocolate. Draco's jaw dropped and he grabbed it. "Are you trying to give me cavities, Raven?" he teased, staring at the bag and grabbing a chocolate bar. I knew he had a huge sweet tooth and it was amusing to see him drool over a bar of chocolate.

Mother was smiling and snapped a photo of us. I groaned, she always did this. "Mother! Not now, please!" I whined. Draco snickered as he placed a quick kiss to my cheek. I stiffened and blushed heavily. Mother cooed and Leo whistled at us. "Just get together already you two lovebirds." said Leo playfully.

My face reddened even more. "Shut it Leo!" I squeaked as Draco snickered quietly and nudged my arm softly. "Raven, I got you something as well." he said and i looked at him. He was holding a black jewelry box as well.

I smiled and grabbed it. I opened it and gasped softly. It was a black silk choker. In the middle was a square emerald with silver around the edges. "I love it Draco." I beamed, smiling. Mother came over to look and smiled. "You really know what she likes Draco." she said fondly.

Draco smiled as well. "I spend a lot of time with Raven so it's simple for me to know what she likes to wear." he boasted. I rolled my eyes in amusement at his pride for knowing what I liked.

I looked at everyone else as they opened their presents, all of us got wand care kits while everyone else got stuff they've been wanting for a while. Draco ate a chocolate bar while this went on and Narcissa scolded him for spoiling his appetite before breakfast even started. I giggled quietly as they bickered over this.

The day went by quickly and the Christmas Dinner soon came. All kinds of food appeared on the table and delicious smell filled the dining room. All of us dug in and ate happily. Draco snuck in bites of his chocolate, which annoyed Narcissa and amused me. She kept telling him to stop, but he only bit into a another piece just to mess with her.

I was shaking with silent laughter at this. Draco noticed and smiled at me. "Who said you could laugh Raven?" he teased. I laughed harder silently, my shoulders shaking. He nudged me playfully. "Stop laughing Raven." he teased again. I broke and laughed loudly.

Everyone else except Narcissa (who was still annoyed with Draco eating chocolate during dinner) began laughing as well. Needless to say, Christmas was fun and seeing Draco actually mess with his mother, which is quite risky, was amusing to watch.

I spent the rest of the night in my bedroom with Draco, who was laying on my bed with full intention of sleeping there. I was not letting him do that so I backed up a bit and ran towards my bed and jumped onto it, launching him into the air. He let out a shriek, a high pitched one at that, and landed back on the bed.

I clutched my stomach in laughter. He got up, grabbed me and tickled me until I begged for him to stop. He smiled down at me and ran his fingers through my sleek black hair. We pretty much just relaxed and talked until he had to go to bed and left my bedroom after saying "Goodnight." I got into my nightgown, brushed my teeth and went to bed and fell asleep quickly and peacefully.

 **\- -Monday, December 30, 1996- -**

Not much has happened since Christmas. Just doing whatever we felt like and I continued training Draco.

We were in the Dueling Room after I had a meeting with my family on our protection for Narcissa and Draco. Once again, Draco was attempting to cast a Patronus. He was still struggling so I walked over to him. "You're doing good Draco, but maybe think of a happier memory." I suggested.

He sighed and nodded and closed his eyes in thought for a minute and then opened them with a smile. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ he yelled and to my surprise, a hawk came out and flew around. Draco laughed in shock, a huge smile on his face as the hawk flew around the room, squawking proudly.

I grinned widely and watched the hawk fly. "You did it Draco!" I beamed as he watched his Patronus fly around the room. He looked at me and pulled me into hug, picking me up in the process. I squeaked in response and hugged him back, resting my head on his shoulder. The smell of green apples, vanilla and cologne hitting my nose.

I blushed at the realization as I remembered this scent from my first potions class: The Amortentia, it smelled like this to me. Did I really develop feelings for Draco that quickly without even knowing it?

I felt Draco put me down and we both sat. I began giggling, confusing Draco. "What's so funny?" he asked. I looked at him, still giggling. "What's funny is that your Patronus is a hawk, a predatory animal, while mine is a black rabbit, a prey animal, one of the animals a hawk hunts for."

Draco snorted and laughed. "Good point. Can you tell what kind of hawk my Patronus was?" he asked. I shook my head. "No, I couldn't. I know there's a way to find out what kind of hawk it is, but I can't remember at the moment."

He nodded and sighed softly. "Well, I'm ready for a break." he said.

"I'm not surprised, you did just perform a difficult spell. So, I'm curious, what was that happy memory you thought of that allowed you to cast the Patronus?" I asked.

A blush spread on Draco's cheeks and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Umm, I'll tell you some other time." he replied nervously. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't question him. Both of our stomachs growled in sync.

"I guess it's lunch time." I giggled. He laughed and we got up and left the Dueling Room. While walking down the hallway, I pulled out my wand and twirled it in my hand lazily, occasionally rubbing the ornate details carved into the handle with my thumb.

I could hear music being played in Leo's bedroom and laughed softly, he was most likely either dancing or studying. I heard Crow bang on the wall in his own bedroom and yell at him to turn the music down, only making me laugh more loudly in amusement. Draco shook his head in amusement.

As we got to the stairs, I decided to have a bit of fun and ran down them and jumped off the last three steps, only for my mother to catch me doing so. She absolutely hates it when me or Leo do this. "Raven Mancer! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!" she scolded, her hands on her hips.

I froze in place, gulping silently. She was scary when angry. "S-sorry, Mother." I stuttered. Draco stood on the stairs behind me. He had stopped once my mother caught me. "If I catch you again Raven, you will be punished!" she warned and left the room. I exhaled in relief and walked to the dining room. Draco followed behind. "Damn, your mother is scary." he said.

I hummed in agreement and called for Pinky. She appeared with a loud crack. "You called Pinky, Miss Mancer?" she inquired.

I nodded. "Yes. Can you get Draco and me some lunch please?"

Pinky disappeared and reappeared in a matter of seconds with some lunch. A couple of sandwiches and goblets of pumpkin juice were on a tray and she placed them on the table. "Does Miss Mancer and Mr. Malfoy require anything else?" she asked. We both shook our heads and sat down. I thanked Pinky and she disappeared with a loud crack.

Both of us ate and talked for a bit on the matter of school. "So Draco, we're going back to Hogwarts in a few days. Are you gonna be alright with this?" I asked, taking a drink of my pumpkin juice. Draco lowered his gaze and shrugged. "Honestly, I feel unsure, but at the same time, I feel uncomfortable just thinking about going back there." he replied, his voice lowered.

I put my hand on his shoulder softly. "What's bothering you about it?" I asked. He sighed and put his food down. "I don't know how to explain it, there's just so much bothering me that I can't find the words." he explained.

"Oh." was all I could say. If Draco was feeling like this from just thinking about going back to Hogwarts, then something was wrong. I know how difficult things will be for us now, but I don't think the plans I have will do much for him in terms of easing his anxiety.

Lunch went by slowly and quietly and when night came, Draco was looking ragged and scared. He was paler than usual and he was sweating. I did my best to comfort him, but only a few hours after going to bed, I woke up to noises coming from Draco's bedroom. I threw my blanket off my body and grabbed my wand.

I left my bedroom quickly and entered Draco's. After lighting a few candles, I was greeted to the sight of Draco thrashing in his bed and crying out in fear. He was suffering a nightmare. I ran to him and attempted to wake him up, but he lashed out and punched me. I fell to the floor with a red mark on my right cheek and to my relief, Leo and Crow had heard the commotion and helped me by holding Draco down.

I managed to wake up him and he let out a scream before turning to the side and vomited onto the floor. I winced and cleaned the mess with a flick of my wand. Draco coughed and sat up fully, tears now running down his face. Leo and Crow looked at each other with concerned looks.

I motioned for Leo and Crow to wait outside the bedroom while I spoke to Draco. I sat down next to him. "Draco, what happened?" I asked softly, rubbing his back gently. He merely coughed in response due to the stomach acid burning his throat. I looked over at Crow. "Crow, grab a bottle of water from my cooler now." I urged and he did so quickly and came back, handing it to me and left with Leo to their bedrooms. I opened it and held to Draco. "Drink, it'll clear your throat."

He took the bottle and drank the entire thing in seconds. He then answered my question after clearing his throat. "I-I was at Hogwarts with you. We were in the hallway g-going to our next class when D-Death Eaters came in out of nowhere and attacked us. O-one of them was my father and he... Oh god... He fought you and you fought back, but he cast the Killing Curse at you. H-he k-killed you Raven. I wasn't a-able to do anything and I h-had watched you fall to the floor...d-dead.. I-I'm scared Raven.." he explained, his voice shaking and tears flowing down his face freely.

I was horrified to hear this. I tried to say something, but nothing came out. Finding no way to speak, I scooted closer to Draco and pulled him into a tight embrace. Tears welled up in my eyes at the mere thought that Draco suffered a nightmare like this. I felt him shake as sobs started racking through his body.

I held him as he sobbed for a while. He did eventually stop, but when he looked at me, I could see the pain in his eyes and the bags under them were more prominent now. "Draco, how long have you been suffering from nightmares?" I asked worryingly.

"Since before we came here. They never got this bad, but I've been losing sleep because of them." he answered, his gaze at the floor. "I-I don't think I can sleep now." he muttered, pulling himself out of my arms. I frowned and thought for a moment and then looked at Draco. "Do you want me to stay in here tonight?" I asked

He looked up at me and nodded. "Just lay here." he muttered and laid down. I looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" I asked. He looked at me and grabbed my arm and pulled me down. He grabbed the blanket and threw it over us. I felt a blush form on my face, he wanted me to lay in bed with him. "Please don't leave me Raven.." he mumbled, his eyes closed. I looked at him, frowning and scooted closer to him in an attempt to comfort him. He responded by enveloping me in a bear hug.

I was shocked for a moment, but then melted into the hug and sighed contently. I wrapped my arms around Draco as well and felt him relax. All rational thought at how awkward this was left my mind and all I cared about was making Draco comfortable. We both fell asleep in each others arms and sleep the entire night peacefully.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	7. Chapter 7

((There will be some descriptions and quotes from the book in this chapter. The descriptions will be modified slightly to fit in with Raven's POV.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 7: Nightmares and Confessions- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Sunday, January 5, 1997- -**

Draco had suffered a terrible nightmare a few days ago because of the anxiety, and that resulted in both us sleeping together in a vain attempt to end the nightmares, which worked, but it was beginning to get awkward as we weren't in a relationship and well, my crush on him didn't help either so we slept in our own bedrooms again, but his nightmares came back and they were worse.

Now it was time to go back to Hogwarts. I was packing my homework and some new jars of ink, along with more parchment into a bag. Draco wasn't too happy to be leaving and I didn't blame him, things are more difficult now with the whole Protection thing going on. If anyone were to find out that Draco is under the protection of the Scarletts, things may become dangerous.

I shuddered at the thought of losing everything because of it as I packed the last of my stuff. Despite this worry we both had, Draco was doing better as my family helped him out with his worries about going back to Hogwarts, although he was upset that he had to leave this place. He said he'd rather stay here another two weeks than go back and deal with school.

Draco came in, holding his bag. "It's time to go Raven." he said and I nodded, grabbing my bag and left with him to the Drawing Room. Mother was waiting with Narcissa, who hugged him tightly while Mother looked at me. "You ready to go Raven?" she asked. "Yes, Mother." I replied.

Draco was hugging his mother, telling her that he'll miss her. I smiled fondly and he walked over to stand by me. "OK, let's go outside and we'll apparate to the Platform." said Mother. We nodded and left the Drawing Doom, exited the large front doors and got outside, the pathway clear of snow. As we walked, I noticed an albino peacock strutting around.

"Why is there a peacock here?" I asked and Draco looked at it. "From Malfoy Manor. He must've come here since the manor was no longer deemed safe." he answered. I shrugged, watching it strut around. We passed the gates after my mother tapped it in that usual pattern and once we were on the other side, she grabbed our hands and the familiar sensation of apparition was felt.

We landed at the Platform. I smiled at the sight of the scarlet train as children and parents went around. I hugged my mother one last time and giggled when she hugged Draco, who let out a surprised squeak. "Draco, if you need to talk to us over anything that concerns you, owl us and we'll help." she said and let him go.

Draco smoothed out his all black suit, nodded and looked at me. "C'mon Raven, lets get on before every compartment is full."

I waved goodbye to Mother and boarded the train with Draco. We managed to find a compartment, which coincidentally had Opal and Midna in it. We entered and greeted them and sat down. I sat closer to Draco than I used to since we've grown even closer over the holidays. It was nice and apparently Opal and Midna noticed telling by the grins on their faces.

"Soo," drawled Midna, her eyes fixed on us. "You two dating yet?" she asked.

Both of us blushed and shook our heads. "N-no, just friends still." I stuttered, a heavy blush on my cheeks. Draco coughed awkwardly, looking away.

"Yeah, _friends_." teased Opal, making Midna giggle in agreement. "Close friends it seems. What did you two do anyway?" asked Midna.

I went on and told them, giggling as I told them about the pillow fight we had after I messed up Draco's hair, which got them both laughing. They laughed even harder when I got on to the snowball fight where I hit Draco in the face with snow and how he tackled me and tickled me mercilessly.

When I mentioned the mistletoe, both girls cooed and Opal looked at me with a grin. "Did you two finally kiss?" she asked, making a kissing face. I laughed, blushing and shook my head. "Not on the lips, but on the cheeks." I answered.

Opal pouted while Midna scoffed. "You couldn't even do one kiss on the lips as friends?" she asked.

This time Draco answered. "It would ruin our chances of having our first kiss, whether it's with each other or someone else."

My heart sank a bit at the mention of kissing 'someone else', but I shook it off. To me, Draco only liked me as a friend and nothing more, I refused to think about the signs he was showing and whether or not they meant that he had come to love me for more than a friend.

Opal rolled her eyes at him. "C'mon Draco, you love Raven, admit it." she prodded. This time, Draco rolled his eyes and smirked. "Maybe I do love Raven, but you'll never know. It could be as a friend or more than that." he teased. I looked at him in surprise and looked over at Opal and Midna.

They grinned and Midna spoke up. "C'mon, you know Raven has a crush on you. You have a very high chance of becoming her boyfriend if you just admit it already." she piped happily.

I groaned in annoyance, burying my face into my hands. "Must you mention my crush on him every time?" I complained. Midna winced. "Sorry."

Draco noticed my discomfort and rubbed my back in small, gentle circles. "Lay off her you two."

I looked up and decided I needed some space for a few minutes. "I need to use the restroom, I'll be back in a few." I said and left the compartment.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

Raven excused herself and left. I looked over at her two friends and sighed, rubbing the back of my head. "Look, don't tell Raven this. I want to tell her myself when the time is right. You are both correct about my feelings. I do love Raven and deeply at that. She seems to be uncomfortable with her feelings towards me and I don't understand why." I explained.

They both grinned at first, but then frowned at the end. Opal spoke first. "Raven has a hard time believing that anyone will love her. She didn't explain why she believes this, but I don't want to stress her out by asking." she explained.

I nodded, but I had a suspicion why she believed that. Midna then spoke. "Raven loves you Draco, and very deeply as well. She shows it a lot just from how much she cares about you. You've become a better man ever since she came here from Romania. That's saying a lot in terms of your past here."

I sighed and leaned back against the seat. "Yeah, I have changed haven't I? Although my reputation for being a prejudiced bully is still sticking and I doubt a simple apology will do any good."

Opal nodded and explained. "You must prove that you've changed after apologizing. Although, don't expect everyone to accept it even if you prove it. Some will refuse it, don't let that get to you and just ignore them."

I looked at them. "Then why did Raven still love me after finding out how I was in the past?"

"You'll have to ask her yourself as I do not know the answer." said Opal, her gaze moving to the door of the compartment. I looked over in time to see Raven open the door and walk inside.

"Hey." I greeted as she sat down next to me. She only grunted softly in response. I looked at her in confusion. "What's wrong Raven?" I asked. She shrugged and folded her arms. "I'm not in the mood to talk right now." she mumbled grumpily. I looked over at Opal and Midna, who both looked at me as well.

Moving my gaze back to Raven, I placed my hand on her shoulder gently. "Raven, are you upset because of what Midna mentioned earlier?" I asked, not daring to say "Your crush on me." and get hexed into next week.

She nodded slowly, not looking at any of us. Midna suddenly got up and sat with Raven. "Oh Raven, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you that much." she apologized and hugged Raven.

Raven hugged her back, mumbling something and they let go. Midna got up and sat back with Opal. I tapped Raven's shoulder gently and she looked at me with a questioning look. "Come here." I said gently. She scooted closer, but did nothing else.

With a sigh, I grabbed Raven and pulled her onto my lap. She squeaked in surprise and a blush formed on her cheeks. I smiled, looking at her. She was always so cute when she blushed. "Comfortable?" I asked, getting a nod in response.

Raven relaxed and fell asleep on me for the rest of the train ride while Opal, Midna and I talked about whatever came to our minds. The one subject that stuck to me was apologizing to Potter, Granger and Weasley for my actions towards them since first year. This was not going to be easy.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -**

I yawned as I sat by Draco in the Boy's Dormitory. I was staying with him until he fell asleep and then I'd go to the Girl's Dormitory. We were having a quiet chat and Draco was yawning more and more until he closed his eyes and fell asleep. I smiled and got up, whispering goodnight to him and left the room and went to the Girl's Dormitory.

I quietly entered and laid in my bed, sighing softly as thoughts drifted through my head. Opal, Midna and Draco all told me the plan Draco had with apologizing to Ron, Hermione and Harry. This would be a big step for Draco, not to mention difficult. He said that it would take time for him to get enough confidence to tell them. He also wanted to talk to them all about something, which he never told me as it had gotten late and told me he'd tell me tomorrow.

With another yawn, I closed my eyes and fell asleep, having a rather disturbing nightmare that rendered me shaking when I woke up from it. This nightmare was about watching helplessly as Death Eaters killed my family and killed Draco.

It repeated for the next few days and every morning I was reduced to tears in Draco's arms from how realistic they were. What's worse is that dreams changed slightly, but it was always the same: My family and Draco would be killed, but each nightmare happened in a different area and the kills were done differently.

 **\- -Tuesday, January 7, 1997- -**

My eyes shot open for the third time as the nightmare occurred again. I sat up quickly, breathing heavily as tears brimmed in my eyes. What was going on? Why was the nightmare repeating itself?

I shuddered, wrapping my arms around myself and glanced at the clock, I saw that it was close to the time to wake up and got out of bed. I went straight to the bathroom and took a quick shower, brushed my teeth and skipped doing my makeup as I was not feeling up to wearing any.

When I glanced at the clock afterwards, I saw that there was only a half an hour until breakfast started. Many of the girls had already gotten up and were in the shower doing their own morning routines. I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my wand, leaving the dormitory and heading to the Common Room.

I saw Draco and walked to him quickly, tears now beginning to well up in my eyes. He looked up and quickly pulled me into his arms like he did since the nightmares started for me. I cried once again, the nightmares were taking their toll on me. Many Slytherins had noticed and some, like Pansy, expressed their disgust at Draco's change of character, but he gave them a fierce glare and told them to piss off.

Pansy still expressed her disgust regardless of Draco's threats and today, she was particularly pissed off. My guess was that she had started her period as she stomped over to us, I could tell despite having my face buried in Draco's chest as her heels clicked loudly. I suddenly felt a hand grab me by the back of my hair and I was forcibly thrown to the ground.

"Get away from my man you bitch!" she spat, kicking me in the stomach.

I groaned in pain and glared at her before getting up and tackling her. A nasty fight started between us. My nose got broken, my right eye and left cheek were bruised and my lip split. Pansy had some nerve to insult my family and say that I was a mistake. I saw red and punched her repeatedly in the face and body until we were separated. Draco treated my eye and cheek with a bruise healing spell, but had no way to fix my broken nose or split lip.

We both left the Common Room (after grabbing our stuff for classes) and walked to the Hospital Wing, where I got my nose and lip fixed and the blood on my face and clothes was removed. Breakfast had started and we both rushed to the Great Hall to eat before classes began. Draco kept looking at me with concern throughout breakfast and I was getting confused.

Classes went by fairly smoothly, although Potions was difficult and Draco ended spilling some of his potion on himself and some of it got me so it looked like we both had cat-sick on us for the rest of that class.

Later that evening, Draco and I decided to study up in his room. I got myself into my nightgown and we both sat on his bed studying peacefully. We didn't say much other than asking each other questions on certain subjects that we were studying. I looked up when Draco asked me something. "What was that?" I asked, putting my book down.

"I asked if you saw the notice in the Common Room about Apparition Tests. Did you plan on taking them? You can sign up for it, but it costs twelve Galleons." he repeated.

"I didn't notice, but I think I will take them. What about you?" I asked.

"I've signed up." he answered, his gaze going to his charms book to study the charm _Aquamenti_. I went back to my book and we both remained quiet for the next couple of hours. I grew tired, but refused to leave to stop studying. I kept yawning and laid back to relax a bit more as I read, only to fall asleep ten minutes later.

That night, Draco had soon noticed I had fallen asleep and chose not to wake me, instead letting me sleep in bed with him. He placed my school work next to his on the night stand and went to sleep as well. Both us slept so peacefully and we didn't suffer any nightmares that night.

I never slept in my own bed after that as Draco and I enjoyed laying next to each other at night, it no longer felt awkward despite only being friends (close friends at that). We felt safe together, but it only made my feelings for Draco increase more.

 **\- -Sunday, January 19, 1997- -**

Despite it being the weekend, or well the end of the weekend, many of us were still stuck doing homework. Draco and I were both in the Common Room trying to do nonverbal spells and those were really getting to me. I've managed a few spells nonverbally, but just in general, it was difficult and I couldn't find that simple solution to casting any spell nonverbally.

Draco was having trouble as well. His face was all red like he was badly sunburned, which made his platinum blonde hair _really_ stand out. I covered my mouth in an attempt to muffle my giggles at this. He looked at me and raised a pale eyebrow, I giggled even more and sat down on the leather loveseat.

"What's so funny?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips.

"Your face is very red and it makes your hair stand out." I said, giggling loudly.

He rolled his eyes and grinned, walking over to me. "Really now? And that's funny to you?" he asked in amusement, sitting down. "Very." I replied.

A pillow suddenly hit me square in the face and the sound of Draco sniggering was a good indicator that he was the one who hit me. I gazed at him and grinned. "Oh you are so dead Draco." I said and instead of grabbing a pillow, I went to him and purposefully messed up his soft blonde hair. Draco yelped and fells backwards on the loveseat.

I laughed at his reaction and stuck my tongue out like a child. His hair was no longer smoothed back and instead was all wavy and out of place. He glared at me and threw the pillow at me, which hit my face yet again. I laughed harder and shrieked when he suddenly attacked my sides with his hands.

"No, not there Draco, I'm super ticklish there!" I shrieked in laughter as he assaulted my sides. Draco only laughed and stopped after tickling me for a few minutes. "C'mon Raven, we need to finish practicing nonverbal spells and study more." he said, grinning.

I nodded, panting heavily from being tickled. Once I caught my breath, I sat up and joined Draco to continue our studying. We studied for a few hours and then called it a night.

 **\- -Saturday, February 1, 1997- -**

Apparition lessons started today. I was super eager to go there as Draco and I went to the Great Hall for the lessons. We entered with everyone else who were doing the lessons. I noticed that the tables had disappeared. Standing in the front, I saw Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout, the Heads of Houses, and by them was a small wizard, who was most likely the Apparition instructor from the Ministry.

I stood by Draco, who was grabbed by Crabbe and they got into a heated argument over something as the Ministry wizard began talking.

"Good morning, my name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry Apparition instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparition Tests in this time-" he was interrupted by McGonagall. "Malfoy, be quiet an pay attention!" she barked.

Draco's cheeks tinted pink a bit and glared at Crabbe before stepping away and stood next to me.

"-by which time, many of you may be ready to take your tests." Twycross continued, like he wasn't interrupted.

"As you may know, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practice. May I emphasize that you will not be able to Apparate outside the walls of this Hall, and that you would be unwise to try."

"I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet of space in front of you."

All of us did so, it was chaos for a few moments, but we were all soon in position. Draco still remained near me, he was arguing with Crabbed again. This time, I could hear them and it wasn't sounding good. Crabbe was pestering Draco about the black ring in his ear and why he hasn't gotten _it_ yet. I swallowed nervously, this was not a good time for him to questioning things.

Draco argued back angrily but quietly. "Look, it's none of your business what I'm doing, Crabbe." Crabbe was about to say something but then the four Heads of House shouted, "Quiet!" and it grew silent.

"Thank you," said Twycross. "Now then..."

He waved his wand and these old fashioned wooden hoops appeared in front of us. He went on to explain to us the important things to remember when Apparating and told us the steps. He then started counting down, which made me panic a bit and when he hit three, I tried to Apparate, it didn't do well and I lost my balance and fell on my ass. Everyone else was having the same result.

I stood up and got back in place and we all tried again, the next few times were the same, but on the fourth try, there was a horrible screech of pain, I looked in the direction of the scream and felt the blood drain from my face. Susan Bones was in the hoop, but was missing a leg. I covered my mouth as bile rose to my throat and I quickly looked away as the Professors fixed the problem.

"Splinching, or the separation of random body parts," said Wilkie Twycross dispassionately. "occurs when the mind is insufficiently _determined_. You must concentrate continuously upon your _destination_ , and move, without haste, but with _deliberation_...thus." Twycross said and stepped forward, and apparated to the back of the Great Hall.

He told us to remember the three D's and counted again. The rest of the lesson was just about the same, none of us managed to Apparate, I fell a few times and even Draco fell on his ass once, which was amusing.

We all left after that, Draco asked me if I was going to be alright after what had happened in the lesson. "I'll be fine." I replied, both of us entering the Common Room after I spoke the password. I sat down on the leather sofa and laid back, sighing softly. Draco sat next to me and propped his feet on the table that sat between the two leather loveseats.

There was hardly anything else to do in terms of free time so we just lounged and talked to one another until we had to go to bed. I of course joined Draco in his room after I changed into my nightgown, brushed my teeth and removed my makeup in the Girl's Dorm.

Both of us had to keep quiet about this whole sleeping together thing, a few times that one of the boys did see me in the morning, I had to make up some story like I accidentally fell asleep while studying with Draco. Besides, both of us just seemed to sleep better by being next to each other at night and if it helped prevent the nightmares from resurfacing, then it's worth the risk of getting caught.

 **\- -Friday, February 14, 1997- -**

Valentine's Day. The perfect holiday for many to confess their love or for those who are already in a relationship to spend time together. The Great Hall was buzzing with activity as many went around eating breakfast and talking. I had just sat down next to Blaise and started putting food on my plate when Draco sat down next to me. I looked at him for a moment and smiled and took a bite out of my eggs.

Draco looked at me, his cheeks were pink. Why was he blushing? "Umm, Raven? I need to tell you something." He said nervously. I looked up at him curiously. "What is it Draco?" I asked. He swallowed and took a deep breath. "I'm in love with you." He confessed, our eyes locking together.

My eyes widened in shock,my heart skipped a beat as my cheeks heated up in a dark blush. "You love me?" I asked hopefully, a small smile forming on my lips. Draco nodded and cupped my face with his hands. "Yes, I love you Raven." He confirmed and leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. My eyes widened at the sudden kiss and everyone at the Slytherin table gasped loudly, the entire Great Hall went silent after that as everyone turned to the direction our table, all of them seeing what was happening.

I got over the shock and happily kissed Draco back, wrapping my arms around his neck. I heard my friends cheer loudly and clap. Soon, many others joined in, eventually nearly everyone in the Great Hall were clapping.

We pulled apart and looked at each other. My heart was racing, a huge smile on my face from the overwhelming feeling of happiness. Draco loved me, he truly loved me. Draco smiled and resting his head against mine, our eyes locked. His eyes were shining like liquid silver and they glistened with love. I smiled back, not wanting to this to end, but it soon did as we not only were risking getting detention for PDA, but because we needed to stop before Pansy comes in and ruins everything.

We all began eating and many talked about what happened between us. I giggled softly as I ate piece of an egg. Pansy, who was most likely prepping herself up for this holiday, came in and sat down, staring at Draco with a flirtatious expression, even fluttering her eyelashes. She surprisingly did a decent job with her makeup, but that wasn't the issue, it was that she still won't leave Draco alone.

He narrowed his eyes at her and wrapped an arm around me. I looked at him and smiled. Pansy scoffed and glared at me. "Mancer, what are you doing with my man?!" she snarled. I glared back at her. " _Your_ man? Are you that blind to see that Draco isn't interested in you?"

Pansy rolled her eyes and looked at Draco. "Come on Dray, you should be with me today, not with that tramp." she spat calmly.

Draco narrowed his eyes and stood up aggressively, slamming his hands on the table. "Shut your goddamn mouth Parkinson! I am not interested in you, I am disgusted at you! I love Raven Mancer, not you!" he shouted, his face red with anger.

Pansy then shot up, her face turning red as well. "Don't lie to me Draco! You are blind and obviously brainwashed by Mancer! Ever since she came here, you have changed! You are not the Draco Malfoy I once knew because of her and now you have that horrid black ring in your ear!" she shouted back and glared at me. "You are nothing but a nuisance to Slytherin and to Draco, Mancer! I will make sure that Draco is freed from you once and for all!"

I then stood up, my green eyes burning with pure hatred and anger. "ENOUGH!" I screamed, finally having enough with Pansy's attitude. "I AM NOT GOING TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS ANYMORE! YOU NEED TO FUCKING GET OVER DRACO NOT LIKING YOU AND MOVE ON!"

Pansy froze at my screams, the entire Great Hall was silent. I was breathing heavily in anger, tears brimming in my eyes. Draco was staring at me in complete shock. I have never screamed at someone before. Maybe shouted, but never screamed. I immediately stormed out, not wanting to get anymore crap from Pansy.

Draco went after me after giving a warning glare at Pansy, who was still frozen in shock. I leaned against a wall and took deep breaths to calm down. Tears began to fall from being so angry. Slytherin was very likely going to lose points because of me swearing, but I hardly cared right now.

I looked up, not even realizing I had looked down, when Draco stood in front of me. His silver eyes filled with worry. "Raven, it'll be alright. I think Pansy is going to be distant from us now." he said softly, resting a hand on my shoulder. I sighed softly, looking at him. "I hope so, I don't know how much more stress I can take." I mumbled.

Draco crouched down to my height and pecked my lips softly. "I'll stay with you Raven. After our classes, we can go do something together for Valentine's Day. I'll make sure that today is the best for you, regardless of what happened at breakfast." he said and hugged me tightly. Sighing softly, I nodded and hugged him back, burying my face into Draco's chest.

A few minutes past and he let me go. "Let's go back to the Great Hall and finish breakfast." he said and I nodded as my stomach growled. Both of us walked back to the Great Hall and went inside. Pansy was in her spot, looking fairly pissed now that she recovered from being screamed at. Draco led me back to the table and we sat down.

I finished eating my breakfast quietly and the rest of the day went by fairly smoothly. Classes went by normally and soon enough, classes were over for the day.

Draco did what he said before and we both went out. He took me to this hidden room called the Room of Requirement. I watched him pace by a wall three times until a door appeared. I blinked in surprise and walked to the door. "And hardly anyone knows of this room?" I asked.

"Yeah." he said and opened the door. I looked inside and gasped softly. The room was designed like a bedroom. It looked similar to mine, it had two armchairs set in front of a fireplace and to the left was a large four poster bed. I giggled and looked at Draco. "What's the bed for?" I teased.

Draco blushed heavily. "I-it's not for _that_ purpose!" he stuttered, embarrassed. I laughed. "I'm only teasing Draco.' I said in amusement. He huffed softly and rolled his eyes, closed the door and walked to one of the armchairs and sat down. I joined him and gazed at Draco curiously. He looked at me and raised a pale eyebrow. "Why are you sitting over there? Come sit with me." he said and patted his lap gently.

I got up and sat on his lap, looking at Draco curiously. He smiled and ran his hand through my hair gently before pulling me forward and kissing me softly. My eyes closed as our lips moved softly, time seemed to stand still as we kissed. It was sweet and gentle and I loved every bit of it.

We broke the kiss after our lungs demanded oxygen. Draco smiled and rested his forehead against mine, our eyes locking. "I love you, Raven." he whispered.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I love you too, Draco."

We kissed again and sat together for the rest of the day and when night came, we both laid in the bed and snuggled together, Draco enveloped me in a bear hug and kissed my head, telling me goodnight. Despite what happened during breakfast, Draco did make everything better and we were now officially in a relationship.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -Tuesday, February 25, 1997- -**

It was a free period and Raven and I decided to get some homework done. Raven had run to the library to get a book while I used the loo. Once I had finished, I walked in the direction of the library. Only half way through, Pansy turned a corner and her eyes locked on me. I stiffened, not liking this situation at all.

She stepped towards me, a smile forming on her face as she noticed that I was on my own. I started backing up until my back hit a wall. Pansy got closer and was now in my personal space. "So you're finally alone Dray." she purred creepily, her right hand going on my chest and trailing down.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my heart pounding. "W-what the hell a-are you doing Pansy?" I asked nervously, her hand getting too close to my waistline.

She looked at me, a lustful glint in her eyes. "I am going to prove that you don't need Mancer." she purred seductively. My eyes went wide when she began to lean in. I tilted my head back, but hit the wall in the process and hissed in pain.

" _STUPIFY!_ " a voice yelled and Pansy was thrown back. My head snapped in the direction of the voice and I saw Raven standing a few feet away with her wand out. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and relaxed in relief. "Are you alright Draco?" asked Raven.

I sighed, adjusting my robes. "Yeah, but Pansy was getting her hands uncomfortably close to my waistline."

Raven's eyes widened in shock. "She tried to touch you sexually?!"

I nodded, shuddering at the thought of my crotch being touched by Pansy. "Yeah, her fingers were just above my belt when you shot her."

Raven looked disgusted and glared at Pansy, who was on the ground. "Disgusting bitch. Let's go to the Common Room before I do something worse to her."

"Good idea, let's go to my room to avoid her." I suggested and left with Raven. Both of us talked while studying about Pansy's behavior. If she was going this far to separate us, then we needed to be prepared and if she does end up doing more than what she did today, then we will report her.

Thankfully, Pansy didn't bother us for the rest of the day so Raven and I were able to relax. Hopefully she gives up and leaves us alone.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	8. Chapter 8

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 8: Worry and Stress - -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, March 1, 1997- -**

Not much has happened since the incident with Pansy's attempt at seducing Draco. She still glared at me and said nasty things to me, but I shrugged them off. We were all at the Great Hall for breakfast and I was waiting for the post to come, which soon did.

My owl swooped down and dropped a letter from the manor, my family and I have doing some major planning on protecting Draco and Narcissa and some things were taken care of. So far, the Malfoy house elf, Dippy, was brought to Mancer Manor, the poor thing was abused badly so upon Draco's request, we freed Dippy to prevent anymore harm done to it and it now works with the house elves of Hogwarts.

Our house elf, Pinky, managed to get all of Draco's stuff from Malfoy Manor without getting caught as Draco refuses to step foot there.

I read my letter and smiled, planning to write back when I got the chance today. Draco received a letter from a strange looking owl. Draco seemed to recognize the owl though and opened the envelope. His eyes scanned the letter and they widened.

"Draco, what wrong?" I asked, worried.

He sighed shakily and handed me the letter. "It's from my Aunt Bellatrix. She somehow managed to send a letter without it being intercepted."

I took the letter and read it, I felt my stomach turn. Bellatrix is expecting Draco to come to Malfoy Manor during the Easter Holidays to be tested and if he doesn't show up, she'll punish him at any chance she gets. The test is most likely a code for getting the Dark Mark.

This scared me a lot. Yeah, Draco can't get the Dark Mark thanks to the Protection Spell, but if he were to go there and the Dark Lord tries to put the Dark Mark on him, not only will it fail, but Draco could get killed. I had to notify my family immediately and handed Draco the letter back. "Don't lose this, hold onto it." I said, my hands shaking from nerves.

I quickly ate the rest of my food and left the Great Hall. I moved as fast as I could to the dungeons, my family had to hear about this new info. This was a lot to take in. I said the password to the wall and entered the Common Room, pulling out my wand and accioed my quill and writing supplies.

After sitting down, I immediately began writing the info just as Draco sat by me. "Draco, what's Bellatrix's last name?" I asked.

"It's Lestrange." he answered, watching me write.

 _ **Dear Mother and Father,**_

 _ **Draco has received a letter from his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, that he is expected to go to Malfoy Manor during the Easter Holidays to be tested and if he doesn't show up, she'll find him and punish him severely. I believe this test is a way of her saying that he'll be getting the Dark Mark.**_

 _ **I am very worried about this. Should Draco and I stay at Hogwarts for the Easter Holidays instead of coming to our manor like we had planned? What should we do about this new info? Is it even safe to leave Hogwarts now by train if she tries to get to Draco when he doesn't go to Malfoy Manor?**_

 _ **Please respond as soon as possible.**_

 _ **Your daughter, Raven Mancer**_

I placed the letter in an envelope and whistled for Smokey. The owl flew to me and I gave him the letter. "Please get this to my parents as quickly as possible." I urged and Smokey took off. I sighed and rubbed my temples as a headache started from stress.

Draco rubbed my back in small circles. Both of us were scared. While the chances of Bellatrix managing to get into Hogwarts is nearly impossible, she could still find a way to get to Draco.

I looked at Draco. "What are you gonna do, Draco?" I asked worryingly.

"Well I am not going to Malfoy Manor regardless of what the consequences will be. I can't face her or anyone else associated with the Dark Lord. I am only hoping that we can get back to your manor safely." he said, pulling me to his side protectively.

I rested my head on his chest, his heartbeat calming me. As we waited for my family's response, we either talked or just enjoyed each other's company. Draco pulled me onto his lap and kissed my head gently. My cheeks tinted a light pink and we leaned in to kiss when my owl swooped in and landed on the table. Draco narrowed his eyes at the interruption, but I just giggled, did a quick peck to his lips and looked at Smokey.

The owl had an envelope in his beak, it had the Mancer Crest on it. I took it and Smokey flew to a spot to sit. Draco looked at the envelope with a curious expression. I swallowed back the lump in my throat and opened it, pulling out the letter.

 _ **Dear Raven,**_

 _ **This is your Father writing. Thank you for telling me this.**_

 _ **I highly suggest that you and Draco do**_ _ **not**_ _ **come here for the Easter Holidays. I will talk to the rest of our family about this info and we will make plans for your safety. It is concerning that Bellatrix is able to owl Draco and I suggest that you keep me updated if she threatens Draco or the school.**_

 _ **As for train travel, I will have your brothers Leo and Crow go on the Hogwarts train and stay with you and Draco for safety measures when you and Draco come back for Summer Break.**_

 _ **Stay safe Raven and Draco.**_

 _ **Sincerely, Louis Mancer**_

I looked at Draco, putting the letter down. "OK, so my father answered and suggested that we will be staying here for the Easter Holidays. As for going back to my manor for Summer Break, my brothers will join us on the train for safety measures. He also wants me to update him if your aunt threatens you or the school." I explained.

Draco sighed softly and leaned back. "OK, well that's one thing taken care of, but if she threatens the school, shouldn't we tell Dumbledore?" he asked.

I nodded. "We will if she does." I grabbed some more parchment and wrote back to my father stating that Draco and I would take caution and be more alert the day that Draco is supposed to go to Malfoy Manor.

I sent the letter after finishing it and looked at Draco. "Now, where were we?" I whispered, smiling. He grinned and leaned down, his hand on my chin. "Right here." he purred and kissed me passionately. Our lips moved in sync and my eyes fluttered shut. I wrapped an arm around Draco's neck and leaned into the kiss.

We soon broke for air and locked eyes, silver meeting emerald, our foreheads resting together.

The day went by smoothly, we ate lunch later on, I sent letters to my mother, who was notified and asked worryingly if I was alright. Dinner soon came and we enjoyed a nice meal. Opal stopped by and decided to have a bit of fun by sneaking up behind me and grabbing me shoulders while shouting "Rah!", it not only made me jump out of my skin, but I let out a shriek in the process.

I got her back by splashing her face with pumpkin juice, which caused a lot of laughter. All in all, this day was nice for once without the drama of others bothering us, even if the morning was rather stressful.

 **\- -Saturday, March 8, 1997- -**

I was eagerly following Draco to the Quidditch stands. It was the Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor match. Lilia was hoping that Hufflepuff would win. I honestly didn't care who won as I just enjoyed watching the matches in general.

I saw Opal up in the Ravenclaw stands and waved to her when she waved to me. Her younger sister, Pearl, was in Gryffindor and I just knew that Pearl would be rooting for Gryffindor. Pearl had a similar appearance to Opal, her hair though was platinum blonde with silver streaks, her skin and eyes were the same, light skin and icy blue eyes. She had a more fierce look in her eyes. Pearl didn't talk to me much due to the house rivalry, but she was neutral towards me.

Draco and I both got onto the Slytherin stands and we watched the match start, Ravenclaw girl, Luna Lovegood, was commentating this time. I smiled and watched as the two teams flew about. As the game went on, Harry argued with the Gryffindor Keeper, whose name I did not know.

Time went on, and both teams scored points. Luna then pointed out the Gryffindor Keeper grabbing one of the Beater's bats, which prompted Harry to yell at him and the Keeper hit a Bludger. All color drained from my face when the Bludger hit Harry in the head and he fell off his broom. Screams echoed around me and felt frozen, the sight of Harry's skull being cracked open disturbing me.

I suddenly felt a warm pair of arms wrap around me and the gentle voice of Draco whispering to me that everything would be alright. I leaned into him, my back against his chest and stomach. Looking over at the Hufflepuff stands where Lilia was, I couldn't see her, but I had a feeling that she was freaking out.

Later that day during dinner, we found out from Lilia that Harry would be alright, but he would be in the Hospital Wing for a couple of days to rest. She was worried about him and I didn't blame her. If that had happened to Draco, I'd be worried as well. Then again, I was worried about Harry too.

Lilia went back to the Hufflepuff table after talking to me. She left for the Hospital Wing after dinner to visit Harry. Draco and I went back the Common Room and went to the boy's dorms where we both studied together and eventually went to bed.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -Tuesday, March 11, 1997- -**

It was time. This was the day I would apologize to Granger, Weasley and Potter. I had sent an anonymous note to them asking to meet me in the Room of Requirement after classes were over for the day and I was now waiting for them to arrive, that was if they did. My palms were sweaty from being so nervous about doing this. I had treated them all like dirt since first year. Would they even believe me?

I jumped when the door opened and Potter walked in, with Granger and Weasley following behind him. "What the hell is Malfoy doing here?!" hissed Weasley.

Potter looked at me with a questioning expression and asked. "Are you the one who sent the note?"

"Yes." I replied. "I needed to speak to all of you."

Potter folded his arms. "And what would that be, Malfoy?"

I swallowed back the lump in my throat and took a deep breath to calm myself down. "I want to apologize for my actions since our first year. "

They all looked at me like I had grown a second head. Weasley then spoke up, looking annoyed. "And why would we believe that crap?"

"Ron, let him explain." said Granger.

"Thank you. Anyway, what I did back then was cruel and horrible. I was under the influence of my father at the time, being a kid and easily believing what he said, and it wasn't until my third year that I realized my mistakes and just how awful I was to all of you, but I didn't have the courage to change."

I glanced at Hermione. "I am sorry for how I treated you because you are a Muggle-born and for calling you a mudblood. What I did is inexcusable and I understand if you do not forgive me."

I looked at Weasley. "I am sorry for taunting you because of how poor you and your family are and for associating with muggles. You have every right to hate me for it."

Finally, I looked at Harry. "I am sorry for what I've said to you. I am sorry for going as low as to make fun of your family. I-I was envious of the friendship you had with Hermione and Weasley as all I ever had was Crabbe and Goyle."

After getting that off my chest, I waited for their responses. Hermione spoke first. "Thank you for apologizing, but it'll take some time before I can accept your apology."

Harry then spoke. "I agree with Hermione, I need some time before accepting your apology."

Weasley shook his head and looked away, his voice was low when he spoke last. "I don't think I can accept your apology, Malfoy. How do we know that you are being honest and not doing this to aid your slimy Slytherin friends?"

I narrowed my eyes in anger, but took a deep breath. "First off, one of those _slimy Slytherins_ is my girlfriend and hardly any of the other Slytherins are my friends. I am being honest and even if that sounds absurd, just give me a chance to prove myself."

Weasley huffed, but and Hermione and Harry seemed to believe me. I let out a heavy sigh and sat down. Working up the courage to apologize to them drained me. We agreed to remain neutral and went our separate ways. I left the Room of Requirement and went to the Slytherin Common Room.

Once I gave the password and entered, I looked for Raven and saw her on the leather loveseat and walked over to her. She was studying Defence Against the Dark Arts, the soft part of her quill in her mouth as she studied. I sat down next to her and rubbed my face with my hands tiredly, groaning.

Raven put her quill down and closed her book and looked at me. "Hey Draco, how did the apology go?" she asked.

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. "It went well, although Weasley is skeptical of me. Hermione and Harry are not accepting my apology yet, but they are thinking about it."

She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "You did good Draco. I'm proud of you."

A small smile formed on my lips and I pulled her into my arms. Our heads rested together and we both relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the day.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Thursday, March 20, 1997- -**

Draco and I were in the Great Hall for breakfast. We were having a nice conversation when I took a drink of my pumpkin juice, only to cough and spit it out at the foul taste. "Eugh, I think my pumpkin juice ha-" I stopped and dropped the goblet. I suddenly felt dazed as the realization that I have been drugged hit me hard.

"Raven?!" Draco called in worry, his grabbed my goblet of pumpkin juice and sniffed the contents. His eyes widened and shot a glance at Professor Snape and mouthed "Veritaserum!"

Professor Snape got up quickly and stormed towards us. Pansy, who had been grinning the whole time and looked at me. "Hey Raven, what's with that black ring in Draco's right ear?" she asked casually like nothing was wrong.

Draco immediately slapped his hand over my mouth, effectively muffling my answer. "Pansy, enough of this!" he spat. Pansy raised a black eyebrow and grinned more as everyone began staring at us quietly. "Raven, tell me why Draco has that black ring in his ear." she demanded.

Draco kept his hand over my mouth, but Crabbe forced his hand away. Tears began to well up in my eyes as the truth spilled out of me. "T-the Protection Spell." I said shakily. Pansy smiled evilly. "So that would make you a Scarlett?" she asked. I lowered my head and said, "Yes.."

The entire Great Hall was silent. Tears spilled down my face and I got up from the table and ran out crying, not wanting to see what happens.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

Pansy has gone too far with this obsession. How the fuck did she get Veritaserum? My blood boiled as Pansy's horrid laughter filled the room. "Oh boo hoo! Poor little Raven can't handle the truth being out!" she chanted, clearly pleased with herself.

I jumped back when Lilia, appearing out of nowhere, slapped Pansy hard, the slap echoing. "You. Insolent. BITCH! How dare you be so cruel towards a girl as sweet as Raven!" she boomed, the glare on her face scary as hell.

Midna came up, a similar glare on her face. "She may be a Scarlett, but she's our friend, something like that doesn't change our views on her! You are a disgrace to this house Parkinson! Slytherins look out for each other, not turn on each other's backs!" she spat.

Opal and Pearl came up, both red in the face. "You have messed with the wrong witch Parkinson! Raven and I may not be friends, but never mess with her, or else you'll face the wrath of her friends!" snarled Pearl.

I stood up and stormed to Pansy. "And you will face the wrath of her boyfriend!" I snarled.

Opal grabbed Pansy by her arm roughly. "You will regret ever doing something like this Parkinson! You watch what you do from now on!" she warned darkly.

Pansy snarled and yanked her arm our of Opal's grasp. "She deserves to be miserable! That bitch is the daughter of a murderous family and she took away my potential husband!" she shrieked angrily. I opened my mouth to yell at her, but the words became stuck in my throat when Lilia punched Pansy in the nose with a satisfying crunch.

Midna looked at me with a stern expression. "Go find Raven immediately! She needs you Draco, we'll meet you in the Room of Requirement in an hour to make sure that she's given comfort."

I nodded and left the Great Hall. This was going to be a problem for the both of us. Raven was already under enough pressure on keeping me and my mother safe. Now this happens. I sigh and run a hand through my hair as I search the halls. It doesn't take me very long before I hear sobbing and before I know it, I find Raven slumped against a wall with her head buried in her knees.

My heart broke at the sight and I quickly walked to her and fell to my knees. "Raven..?" I said softly. She looked up, her bottom lip quivering as tears continued to fall down her face. I pulled her into my arms and she instantly buried her face into my chest, sobbing loudly.

I rubbed her back and closed my eyes, sitting against the wall and spreading my legs out to let her sit between them. All that mattered now was comforting Raven. I whispered softly to her in a vain attempt to calm her down, but it did little to lessen her sobs.

She cried for almost an hour, but her sobs quieted down to small hiccups. When she looked up at me, I felt a jolt of pain go through my heart. Her eyes were a dull grey-green and her eyelids were puffy and red from crying. I've never seen her look so miserable. I gently wiped away the stray tears that fell and pulled out a handkerchief and gently dried her face.

I placed a small kiss to her forehead and helped her stand up. "Raven, come with me, we're going to the Room of Requirement. Your friends want to see you."

Raven shook her head, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "N-no t-they don't. They know t-the truth about my f-family. I-I don't have any friends now." she sobbed, her face wet with tears again.

I shook my head. "That's not true Raven. They still trust you and still consider you their friend regardless of your family past. Please get up." I urged gently, now standing. She sniffled and got up, grabbing my hand.

I took her to the Room of Requirement and paced by it three times, asking for a comfortable place for multiple people. A door appeared and Raven and I went inside. There was six armchairs in the house colors (three Slytherin, one Gryffindor, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff) and a large fireplace.

Raven sat in a Slytherin colored chair, her gaze on the floor. I walked over and sat next to her, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. She looked up at me, her eyes shining weakly. "It'll be alright Raven. I promise." I whispered. She nodded weakly, her eyes showing doubt.

We waited a few minutes and the door soon opened. Midna, Lilia, Opal and Pearl all came in and rushed to Raven. Midna hugged her tightly resulting in Raven crying again.

"Oh, Raven, I'm so sorry Parkinson did this to you. She had no right in doing this." crooned Lilia, her eyes welling up with tears at the sounds of Raven's sobs.

"We aren't upset about your past Raven. We do not care that you are a Scarlett. You'll always be our friend regardless." said Opal, her voice soft and gentle as she rubbed Raven's back in small circles.

Midna let go of Raven and looked at her. "We are here for you Raven. Parkinson will soon learn not to fuck with you or else she will face our wrath." said Midna, her voice and eyes showing just how much she cared.

"Parkinson will pay for she did to you Raven. She'll get worse than a broken nose if she does any more shit." hissed Pearl, her eyes were blazing with anger from what Pansy did, but shimmered with sadness towards Raven.

Raven sat down, a smile on her face as tears continued to fall down her reddened cheeks. I moved my chair closer to hers and rested my hand on hers, our fingers intertwining.

The girls sat down in their respective chairs and we did our best to help Raven recover from what had happened.

Over the next few days, Raven became severely depressed. Many of the Slytherins turned on Raven and I. We were constantly mocked and threatened. A few members of the other Houses turned on us as well. This only intensified Raven's depression and she began avoiding the Great Hall and went to the kitchens to eat.

It broke my heart to see her so miserable. She only stayed near those she trusted. Lilia, Midna, Opal, Pearl and I all stayed close to her. This lessened the mocks and threats, but Raven soon snapped at those of the other Houses and told them to leave her alone and gave a lengthy explanation of her family past.

I didn't see her snap as I was in the loo at the time, but Midna and Opal told me what had happened and apparently whatever it was she had said got the Houses, except for most of Slytherin, to back off.

Raven was doing better after that, but her depression remained, though not as severe as before.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Thursday, March 27, 1997- -**

Something was going to happen. Something _bad_ was going to happen. I still can't explain why I keep getting a bad feeling, but it was effecting my mood and my appetite. I stared at my breakfast and poked at it lightly before looking up and noticing that Harry was rubbing his scar again.

Something in me clicked and I immediately wrote a quick note for him. I folded the paper into a butterfly and charmed it to fly to Harry. Thankfully no one saw me do this as the paper butterfly flew to Harry.

He looked at it as it landed in front of him. With a confused expression, he opened it and read it and gazed in my direction afterwards. I gave a curt nod and looked down at my food.

 **\- -Harry's POV- -**

My scar has been hurting off and on for over a week now. I absentmindedly rubbed it while barely touching my breakfast and thinking about stuff. "Mate, are you alright?" asked Ron with a mouthful of food. I nodded and mumbled, "I'm fine." before going back into my thoughts. They were interrupted when a paper butterfly landed gracefully on the edge of my plate.

Confused, I picked it up and opened it to see what it said.

 _ **Harry, I need to ask you something today. Please meet me after our last class. Try to be alone since we are of course in the two houses that have a huge rivalry. Don't let anyone know where this note came from.**_

 _ **-Raven Mancer**_

I blinked a few times and looked up where Raven was sitting. She gave me a curt nod and looked down. Shoving the note into my robe pocket, I ate a small amount of food and spaced out.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Later that day- -**

This bad feeling just wouldn't go away. It was really putting me down. I needed to ask Harry something urgently and I was just hoping he'd come to me soon, I wasn't sure how long I'd be alone before someone else comes by.

Finally, I saw Harry as he ran to me, breathing heavily. "Sorry, Raven, I had to make an excuse to Ron and Hermione." he panted, leaning against the wall. "It's no problem Harry. Thank you for coming." I said, looking at him.

"What did you want to ask me?" he asked, looking at me. I sighed a bit, turning my gaze to the floor for a moment before looking back at him. "I wanted to know if you have been getting any bad vibes for the last week?"

He blinked and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Erm, yeah actually. Why do you ask?" he questioned.

I looked at him, my eyes showing worry. "I think something bad is going to happen Harry. I keep feeling a sense of dread. Like someone or something is going to try to attack the school." I explained, Harry's eyes widened.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "How long have you been feeling this sense of dread Raven?" he asked urgently.

"About a week now. It's been depriving me of sleep." I answered, rubbing my arm nervously.

He swore quietly and ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Raven, I wish you had told me sooner. What ever it is you are feeling, it may be true. Will you keep me updated on this?" he asked. I nodded. "Yes, of course."

He nodded and turned to leave when I stopped him. "Umm, Harry?" I asked.

"Yeah?" he said, turning his head to look at me. His bottle-green eyes meeting my emerald green eyes.

"Off topic, but is there a chance we could possibly hang out and get to know each other? I know we are in different houses who have the biggest rivalry, but I'd really like to get to know you." I said, looking at him.

He blinked a few times in surprise. "Uh, sure. How about this Saturday at three?"

I nodded. "That'll work." I confirmed.

After that, we left to our respective Common Rooms and two days later, we got to know each other. We laughed and had a lot of fun and even planned on hanging out more when we get the chance.

 **\- -Sunday, March 30, 1997- -**

It was the Easter Holidays and holy crap, the amount of homework we got is overwhelming. Draco and I were at the table in the Common Room trying to get through a good chunk of it. Draco helped me with potions while I helped him Defense Against the Dark Arts. We worked for a good three hours before taking a well needed break. My hand cramped from writing so much.

I felt my stomach rumble for food and I realized that we both missed lunch. "Crap, Draco, wanna run to the kitchens and get some food?" I asked. He looked up and checked the time and swore quietly. "Yeah, let's do that. I'm starving." he said and got up. I put my stuff away and got up as well.

After grabbing some food and a couple bottles of ice cold pumpkin juice, we went back to the Common Room and sat down at the table again and ate. I ate a sandwich that had mayo, chicken, cheese and lettuce in it. Licking my lips, I looked at Draco, who was drinking his pumpkin juice.

He looked at me and raised a blonde eyebrow. I giggled and stuck my tongue out childishly. "Put that back in your mouth Raven before I do something." he warned teasingly. I giggled even more. "And what would you do if I didn't?" I asked, grinning and taking a drink of my pumpkin juice.

"Keep sticking your tongue out and you'll find out." he said, grinning as well. I giggled even more and continued eating. Once we finished, we both got back to doing our homework. Another hour passed and Draco sighed anxiously. I looked over at him. "Draco, what's wrong?" I asked.

He rubbed his face with his hands. "Bellatrix is most likely fuming right now as I should've been at the manor by now. I wouldn't be surprised if she sent a howler."

I exhaled, my cheeks puffing out in the process. "I forgot about that. I'm actually glad we got your house elf and your stuff out of there before hand. After what you had told me about her, I wouldn't surprised if she harmed the house elf or destroyed your stuff." I mentioned.

Draco's eyes widened. "R-Raven, if Bellatrix did go to my room there, she would see it empty. She'd know I left."

The color drained from my face, my eyes locked onto the table. This was not going to end well. All that left my mouth was, "Oh shit."

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	9. Chapter 9

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 9: Visions and Threats- -**

 _ **\- -No POV- -Between March 30, 1997 and the night of April 4, 1997- -**_

 _ **At Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix can be heard screaming angrily and throwing spells at whoever crosses her path. "Where is he?! Why didn't he arrive?!" she bellowed.**_

 _ **Bellatrix storms towards Draco's room at the manor and barges in and sees it empty. Bellatrix is seething with anger. "Ohhh, you are in so much trouble Draco Malfoy." she whispers smoothly, her wild hair falling in front of her face.**_

 _ **A few days later, Bellatrix is roaming outside. The location is unknown and she's muttering under her breath.**_

 _ **In another room of a unknown location, Death Eaters have become aware of Draco Malfoy receiving an ancient spell created by the Romanian Pure-blood family known as the Scarletts. They received a letter about this, confirming that a member of the lost family being alive and even the family itself being alive, but under a new name. The letter did not mention what the new name was. A plan is created to go to Hogsmead or another location near Hogwarts and capture Draco and whoever it is that is part of the Scarlett family.**_

 **\- -Harry's POV- -Thursday, April 10, 1997- -3:27 AM- -**

I shot up in bed, breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Death Eaters were planning on being in Hogsmead. I couldn't remember all of the plan though and rubbed my face in discomfort. I had to tell Raven this as soon as possible.

Glancing over at the clock, I groaned quietly and laid back down. It would be a few hours before I could tell Raven.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Thursday, April 10, 1997- -**

I jolted awake as the sudden feeling of dread as a harsh shiver went down my spine. I sat up and looked at the time, it was only a few minutes before everyone got up. Sighing and resting my hands on my lap, I waited for Draco to wake up as I couldn't get dressed with his roommates still in the dorm. Draco and I surprisingly still managed to keep my presence in here at night a secret.

Looking down at Draco, I could see his bare chest rising and falling slowly. His hair was a mess, but nowhere near as messy as mine was. Soon enough the others began waking and Draco stirred in his sleep and woke up as well. He yawned and stretched, his joints popping in the process.

We got through our usual routine of getting ready and left the dorm to the Common Room. I greeted Midna and sat down with Draco. I still felt this terrible sense of dread, which was making me feel ill and killing my appetite completely.

Draco noticed my pallid complexion and asked if I should go to the hospital wing. I said it was just a case of anxiety and that I'd be alright. He looked at me questioningly but didn't say anything. We left the Common Room and walked to the Great Hall.

"Raven!" I heard a voice call. "Raven!"

I turned and saw Harry running, no, sprinting towards me. He looked ragged and worried. I stopped walking and looked at him as he slowed to a stop in front of me. "Raven..I need to talk to you now..in private." he panted.

Draco looked at Harry and I in confusion. "Go to the Great Hall Draco, I'll meet you there in a sec." I said and he only looked at me for a moment suspiciously before turning and leaving.

Harry sighed and grabbed my wrist, pulling me to a secluded hallway. I looked at him. "What is it Harry?" I asked.

He shuddered, looking at me with a worried expression. "Raven, Death Eaters are planning on going to Hogsmead or some other location near here at an unknown date and attempt to invade Hogwarts. They are planning to capture you and Malfoy." he stammered.

All color from my face drained. I now knew why I was feeling so much dread. "Oh fuck." I mumbled, leaning against the wall and sliding down. Harry sat next to me, both of us feeling sick with dread. I looked at Harry. "We need to tell Dumbledore. I know we have Aurors roaming around, but I just don't think it'll be a good idea to not warn them." I suggested shakily.

Harry nodded. "We'll talk to him as soon as possible."

"Let's go to the Great Hall before our friends go looking for us." I said and got up, Harry following suit. We quickly got there and went our separate ways. Draco spoke to me the moment I sat next to him.

"Raven, what did Harry want?" he asked.

I leaned to him and whispered the situation to him. His reaction the same as mine, his face lost all color. "Fuck, explain more of this when we are alone Raven." he muttered to me, looking ill now. I nodded and tried to eat a small amount of food.

The day went by in a blur and soon enough, dinner was over. As Draco and I left the Great Hall, Harry came to us, requesting me to go with him. Draco said we'd talk when I got back to the Common Room and I nodded, leaving with Harry.

We both went up to the Headmaster's Tower and ran up to the stone gargoyle. Harry said the password to it and we both entered quickly once it jumped to the side. Over the next hour, we explained everything that was going on. Professor Dumbledore said he'd take care things, his eyes were twinkling in a mysterious way, which made me curious of what he was thinking about.

Harry and I left and went to our respective Common Rooms, both hoping that the plan the Death Eaters have doesn't happen.

Draco sighed in relief when he saw me enter the Common Room and took me straight to the Boy's Dorm. We sat down on his bed, slipped off our shoes and closed the hangings to the bed. He cast a Silencing spell so that no one would hear us talking. "Raven, please tell me everything else about the situation." he pleaded, his silver eyes full of worry.

With a sigh, I explained everything. "It happened a week after Pansy forced me to reveal my family past with Veritaserum, which my family was notified about. I started feeling like something bad was going to happen. I told Harry about it and we agreed to keep in touch about it. Apparently early this morning Harry had a vision about the Death Eaters plotting to go to Hogsmead or somewhere near it to invade Hogwarts to capture you and I. They don't know it was me who gave you the Protection Spell, but they're going to try to find the Scarlett." I explained.

Draco looked like he was going to panic at this and buried his face into his hands. "This year is just getting worse and worse." he said, his voice muffled slightly.

"I know, Draco, I know. I only hope it doesn't happen." I sighed, leaning against his left side. He lifted his head up and wrapped his left arm around my midsection, keeping our bodies close. The familiar tingling sensation from his touch coursing through me, calming me down only slightly.

Both of us later fell into an uneasy sleep.

 **\- -Wednesday, April 16, 1997- -**

Draco and I haven't slept well since hearing about the plan the Death Eaters have. Harry was also not sleeping well either. We were both walking in the hallway when our conversation was interrupted.

 _"All students are to return to their House Dormitories at once!" said Professor McGonagall, her voice echoing throughout Hogwarts._

Draco and I both looked at each other for only a split second before running to the Slytherin Common Room. When we entered, we were panting heavily. The Slytherins were all by the fireplace talking so we joined them, even though they didn't like us (except for the first years, they were rather nice after I explained my family past).

"What's going on?" I asked, sitting down on the leather sofa with Draco.

"We don't know." Blaise said. A first year spoke up. "I think something bad might happen. Maybe that's why we were told to come here."

I looked at the small Slytherin and nodded. "That I can agree on. Now that I think about it, I have been getting a bad vibe for the last month. It's been worrying me." I said and Draco looked at me, knowing exactly why.

McGonagall's voice echoed throughout Hogwarts again. _"Raven Mancer and Draco Malfoy, come to the Headmaster's office immediately!"_

Draco and I both got up quickly, pulling out our wands. "All of you stay together, got it? Keep your wands out for safety measures. Something is telling me that we are in danger." I warned and left with Draco.

We ran as fast as we could to the Headmaster's office. I barely spoke the password to the gargoyle when it jumped to the side. We both ran up the steps and entered.

Dumbledore looked up, a serious expression on his face. "Raven, Draco, thank you for getting here as soon as you could. There is an emergency requiring you Raven." Dumbledore informed.

"What is it sir? What's happening?" I asked, worried. Draco grabbed my free hand and squeezed it.

Dumbledore frowned and looked at me. "The Death Eaters are threatening to invade the school. Hogwarts is on lock down as of now." he said.

My eyes widened and Draco stiffened, all color draining from his face. "What?!" I exclaimed, gripping my wand tightly as fear flooded me, I knew it would happen and hoped it wouldn't, but knowing it was happening now scared me more than ever.

"Raven, I want you to go to your family with Draco, tell them about this dire situation and request their assistance in guarding the school. I do believe that they hold the power to defend Hogwarts if the Death Eaters try to invade." Dumbledore explained.

Many thoughts ran through my head. Who told the Death Eaters? And how the hell would I get to Mancer Manor? "Sir, how will Draco and I get to my manor? The train takes too long and we can't apparate yet." I asked urgently.

"I have set up a connection in the Floo Network so that you and Draco can floo between here and Mancer Manor without a problem." he answered.

Draco let go of my hand, he was shaking. "I-if the Death E-Eaters know about this, then w-will my f-father f-find out?" he asked shakily, fear evident in his voice.

I looked at him and sighed. "Yes Draco, there may be that chance, but you will be safe." I said, grabbing his hand again and squeezing it. I looked at Dumbledore and nodded to him. "We will floo to my manor now." I said and walked to the fireplace, grabbed a small amount of floo powder and tossed it into the flames before yelling "Mancer Manor!" and left with Draco.

We landed in the fireplace of the drawing room of Mancer Manor and stepped out. My father jumped back in surprise as he was sitting in one of the armchairs reading. "Raven? Draco? How did you two get here?" he asked, putting the book down and standing up.

I immediately explained the situation and asked if he could help guard the school. "Of course Raven. I will floo call the rest of the Mancer family and have them help. One of them will remain here to keep Narcissa protected as a safety measure. Go get your brothers Raven and tell them the situation. I will send a Patronus to Margret and Narcissa as they are in another part of the manor currently." he informed and I nodded, leaving with Draco and ran up the stairs as father sent a Patronus and floo called the rest of the Mancers.

Running down the hallway, I skidded to a stop and pounded on Leo's door and Crow's door simultaneously. Both of them answered and looked shocked at my sudden arrival. I put my hand up to stop them from saying anything and explained to them the situation as well.

They agreed and followed Draco and I back down. Draco was still shaking, his fear of Lucius finding out visible on his whitened face. As we entered the drawing room, Narcissa came to Draco and hugged him tightly. Mother came to me and talked to me while Narcissa comforted Draco.

Mother looked at us with a hardened look on her face. "Every Mancer is currently being notified and they are coming here. Your father floo'd to his father to speak to him in person." she informed and I nodded.

Since my mother did not have any siblings, all of the other Mancers were from my father's side. He has two brothers, they are fraternal triplets, Axel Mancer and Zakari Mancer.

I looked up when the fireplace lit up as the Floo activated. A woman stepped out, dressed in a dark purple dress, with long black hair and striking green eyes. Her name is Lucinda Mancer, wife of Axel Mancer and my aunt. She stepped forward, followed by Axel Mancer, my uncle, who was dressed in an all black suit. Then their son, who was my cousin and same age as my brothers, Zeus Mancer, came out. He too was dressed in a black suit.

Draco sat by me with Narcissa as my aunt and uncle sat down. I looked up at Draco and rested my head against his shoulder. Draco responded by resting his head on top of mine. Leo and Crow talked to Axel while Lucinda sat in front of me.

"Raven, it's been too long since we last spoke. You've grown since we last saw each other." she said and looked at Draco, who raised his head to look at her. "And who is this Raven?" she asked, her eyes scanning him.

Draco spoke before I could. "I'm Draco Malfoy." he said, holding his hand out. Lucinda took his hand and shook it. "Hello Draco, I am Lucinda Mancer, Raven's aunt."

He smiled and she smiled back. Zeus came to me and grinned widely. "Hey cousin, long time no see." he quipped. "Hello Zeus, it has been a while hasn't it?" I said, giggling and hugging him.

The Floo flared up again and my father stepped out, along with his father, Leonides Mancer. The man was fierce in appearance: Muscular and tall, his hair was short with a few gray hairs showing and his eyes blazed with immense power.

He was also the father of Axel and Zakari and the grandfather of Crow, Leo and I. His wife, Felicia Mancer stepped out as well. She has blue eyes and dark red hair and was wearing a black dress. She had an expression that was similar Professor McGonagall's.

Again, the Floo flared and Zakari Mancer came out with his wife Kira Mancer and their son Hadrian Mancer, who was also my brother's age. He was wearing a casual outfit consisting of a dark green button up shirt and black pants. Zakari was wearing a black suit as well. Kira was wearing a dark blue, long sleeved velvet dress. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.

Only the women married to a Mancer typically don't have green eyes or black hair. It is quite rare for a woman to marry a Mancer and have the same hair and eye color, but it's happened.

Father brought in more chairs so that everyone had a place to sit. Once again the Floo flared up and this time my Great Grandfather, Allister Mancer, came out. He was quite old, but you just see that despite his age, he was strong and powerful. His wife, Syrena Mancer came out as well. Both them had dark grey hair, but their eyes were green and showed immense power.

That was all of the Mancer family and they all now sat here in the drawing room. Draco and I explained the situation and they all agreed to come defend Hogwarts, Great Grandfather Allister and Great Grandmother Syrena, Grandfather Leonides and Grandmother Felicia would go near Hogsmead and keep watch.

My father and uncles would stay near the entrances of Hogwarts while my brothers and cousins would guard the Houses. My aunts would roam Hogwarts while my mother stayed here with Narcissa.

All of us got up and went to the fireplace, Draco and I going through first. We entered the Headmaster's Office and stepped out of the way just in time to see my family start flooing in. One by one, each Mancer stepped in and soon they were all here. They all explained what they would be doing and Professor Dumbledore informed them of some other places to guard and they were on their way while Draco and I stayed where we were.

The next few hours were slow and agonizing. I stood by the window and stared outside anxiously. Draco walked over and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed. "I'm scared Draco, what if they manage to evade my family and get here?" I fretted, looking up at him.

His hand rubbed my side softly, which sent shivers down my spine. "Then the other members of your family here will fight them. I'm worried too Raven. I'm frightened at the mere thought of my father hearing about this, but I know deep down it'll happen no matter much I don't want it to." he said.

With another sigh, I rested my head against Draco's chest as we both gazed out the window.

 **\- -One hour later- -**

Another hour had passed and Draco and I had sat down as it began raining. My head was resting on Draco's shoulder and I was beginning to fall asleep when a lion Patronus appeared in the room. It my grandfather's Patronus. "Death Eaters spotted in Hogsmead. Repeat: Death Eaters spotted in Hogsmead." said the Patronus and it flew out, most likely to warn the other Mancers.

I felt my face turn white. They were in Hogsmead and my family was most likely fighting them. Draco grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap, holding me protectively with his wand in hand. "I won't let anyone hurt you Raven." he whispered.

I whimpered softly, feeling my stomach turn from the stress. "Please distract me Draco. Do something to keep my mind off this situation." I begged quietly. He didn't answer, but to my great surprise, he began to sing softly. His voice was soothing and gentle, only loud enough for me to hear.

Draco sang until I was no longer tense, which was when I began to fall asleep. He gently nudged me to stay awake and stroked my hair gently.

 **\- -Sometime later in the day- -**

My family warded off the Death Eaters and came back victorious. A few went to the Hospital Wing for healing. Professor Dumbledore thanked them for their help and they went back home after the others got healed properly. The Aurors who had in fact been here guarding remained for safety measures.

Hogwarts was no longer in lock down, but the tension was strong when Professor Dumbledore explained what had happened during dinner. The Great Hall was very quiet because of the day and the tension remained for the next few days.

 **\- -Monday, April 21, 1997- -**

I sighed as Draco and I sat in Potions class. The Apparition tests are going on right now and although I am able to Apparate, I am not old enough to take the test, Draco wasn't old enough either and the same with Harry.

Professor Slughorn told us to create something amusing for Potions class. I looked through my Potions book and looked for a potion I could create. I sighed softly and chose to make a Laughing Potion.

The class went by slowly. Draco was muttering under his breath as he worked on what I believe was the Hiccuping Solution. He looked irritated and I knew not to bother him during this class when he was irritated. I managed to finish my potion early and gazed over at Draco as he worked. I personally enjoyed how focused he looked when working on potions. He was very skilled with the subject.

I waited for Professor Slughorn to look at our potions and soon enough he did. He gazed at mine and Draco's potions and deemed them "acceptable". It was rather frustrating as we both got our potions done correctly and in good conditions, but he was clearly distracted by Harry's potion, which according to him was perfect.

Draco looked pissed at this and stormed out when the class ended. Professor Slughorn did seem to be playing favorites, but I decided to shrug it off. No point in stressing over his apparent favoritism.

Later, when classes were over and evening had come, Draco and I sat in his bed huddled together while we did homework. I felt Draco reach over to grab something and felt his hand brush against my thigh, sending shivers down my spine. I cursed mentally at my hormones as I felt hotter from the touch.

I attempted to distract myself with the homework we had and yawned about an hour later as it got late. Draco noticed and set his stuff down. "You want to sleep Raven?" he asked quietly. I nodded, rubbing my left eye like a child. He chuckled and put our stuff away. I got myself comfortable and fell asleep almost instantly as Draco blew out the candle and pulled me into his arms, falling asleep as well.

 **\- -Monday, May 5, 1997- -**

Things have been nice for once. A few days ago, Pansy was caught abusing her power as a Prefect and was stripped of it. To my surprise, I was offered to become a Prefect since I was a Sixth Year (funny since this was my first year here). I accepted it happily and now wore a Prefect's Badge. Boy was Pansy pissed off.

It was lunch and I was looking around the Great Hall with no particular reason. I saw Harry talking to Hermione and holding what looked like his potions book to her. Pansy had been walking by him when she stopped and appeared to be listening to what he was saying. I furrowed my brows in confusion as she smirked maliciously and walked to our table and sat down.

I poked at my food for a few minutes and only took small bites, my appetite suddenly gone. _"So much for another nice day."_ I thought and pushed my plate away. Draco took notice of my sudden change in mood and gazed at me worryingly. "Can we talk outside Draco?" I asked quietly. "Of course, Raven." he replied and got up with me and we both left the Great Hall, both of us unaware of Pansy following us only moments later.

Once we got to a secluded spot that wasn't too far from the Great Hall, I looked at Draco and he looked at me with concern in his eyes. "What did you want to talk about Raven?" he asked.

"It's Pansy. I saw her stand by Harry as he talked to Hermione about something. Whatever it was, she seemed to get an idea that has bad intentions. The look on her face was malicious." I explained, fumbling with the sleeves of my robes. Draco's eyebrows furrowed in anger. "That bitch better think twice before doing whatever she is planning." he snarled.

I folded my arms and rested my back against the wall. "She's already a bitch with no brain. She just might do it without any thought of the consequences." I grumbled angrily.

Draco walked over to me and pulled me closer. "If she does, she'll suffer severely." he said and kissed me lovingly. I melted into it and wrapped my arms around his neck as his hands went to my waist. It was always so awkward kissing Draco when standing, with my short stature and all. The kiss would have lasted longer if it wasn't for an angry scream interrupting us.

We broke the kiss and looked in the direction of the scream and saw Pansy standing only a few feet away, red faced. She was livid, pure hatred burning in her eyes. She yanked her wand out of her robe and aimed it at me. "I am done with you Mancer! You have done enough damage to Draco and I am going to end it!" she yelled.

Draco and I pulled out our wands in defense. Draco stood in front of me protectively. "Don't touch my girlfriend you bitch!" he snarled. Pansy glared at him. "Move out of the way Draco, I must get rid of Mancer!" she snapped.

Draco stood his ground, his wand pointed at her. "You will not harm her!" he snarled.

Pansy smiled sickeningly at him. "Oh, but I will. I just heard of this interesting new spell and I am just itching to try it on Mancer." she said in a disgustingly sweet voice and flicks her wand at Draco. He is flung to the floor and lands with a thud, his wands flying a few feet away. Pansy looked at me with a malicious glint in her eyes. "Now to get rid of you just long enough to earn my future husband back." she beamed, aiming her wand at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "And what spell did you hear of exactly?" I asked angrily, my wand pointed at her.

"What's the point in telling you Mancer? You'll find out soon enough" she spat and raised her wand. Draco groaned, grabbed his wand and got up, running towards me as Pansy shouted the spell, "Sectumsempra!" and waved her wand in weird motions.

Draco was in front of me moments before the spell hit him and I saw blood spray everywhere. Draco stumbled back and fell onto the floor, blood soaking his clothes from multiple slashes on his torso. It was like a sharp blade had slashed him. I screamed in horror as the dark red liquid poured from his body and fell to my knees. "Draco!" I cried and attempted to heal the wounds, but nothing happened. Blood was pooling around him quickly and Draco cried softly, his body twitching in pain.

I screamed for help as Pansy ran off and heard footsteps moments later. I saw Harry and Professor Snape come near. "Get that bitch! She hurt Draco! Get Pansy and hold her down!" I yelled to Harry and he looked at Draco for only a moment and ran off where Pansy had run. Tears ran down my face as Draco grew paler from blood loss. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, only getting a weak response.

Professor Snape took one look at Draco and went down, pulled his wand out and began chanting a song-like verse. The blood around Draco went back into his body and the wounds healed.

He then helped Draco stand. "You need the Hospital Wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring but if you take dittany immediately we might even avoid that...Come..." he helped Draco walk.

I got up and helped Draco walk as well. As we turned a corner, we saw Harry wrestling Pansy down, who was squirming in his grip. She swore and hexed Harry hard enough to knock him off of him. I ran after her and tackled her to the ground, seeing red. Both of us fought fiercely, punching, kicking, scratching and pulling hair.

I felt Harry pull me away and some other students pulled Pansy away. I screamed angrily at her, my face red as tears ran down my face. Harry held me tightly, yelling at me to calm down. I refused and kept screaming angrily, kicking the air.

A few Professors then arrived and a Calming Draught was forced down my throat. My body relaxed and my face was no longer red. I watched as Pansy was taken away by a Professor. Harry let go of me and I immediately ran towards the Hospital Wing.

I needed to see him and see if he was going to be alright. Upon entering the Hospital Wing, I looked around for Draco and saw Professor Snape standing in front of a bed and walked over to them. I held back a gasp when I saw Draco laying in the bed with his shirt opened. There were angry red lines on his torso, which were being treated with dittany by Madam Pomfrey.

Draco looked at me with tired eyes. I went to the side of the bed that Madam Pomfrey wasn't next to and grabbed Draco's hand softly. I looked at the newly formed scars, which were faint white lines now. "Are you alright Draco?" I asked softly.

He shook his head weakly, his eyes closing. I squeezed his hand gently and looked at Madam Pomfrey. "Will he be alright?" I asked.

"He'll be staying here until evening." she answered. "Now run along, Miss Mancer."

I sighed and squeezed Draco's hand one last time before leaving.

 **\- -At dinner- -**

"WHAT?!" I screamed angrily, getting multiple stares. Midna jumped at my outburst and cleared her throat. "I just said that Parkinson is only getting detention for the rest of the year."

My blood boiled and my hands clenched tightly into fists. "That isn't going to do a fucking thing for her! She nearly killed Draco with that curse!" I snarled.

Midna nodded in agreement. "I know, but there's nothing that can be done about it." she said, her voice low. I growled softly, stabbing my chicken breast with my fork repeatedly. Oh the things I wanted to do to Pansy.

Feeling my appetite gone, I pushed my plate back and left the Great Hall. The amount bullshit that was happening here was infuriating. I went straight to the Common Room and sat on the leather loveseat as soon as I got inside. I pulled out my wand and levitated a throw pillow to clear my mind.

Sometime later, the rest of the Slytherins came in and went about their business. Midna came in and sat at the table nearby to do homework and study. Draco came in, apparently well enough now to be back. He sat down next to me and I scooted closer to him, but kept some distance out of fear of hurting his fresh scars.

He smiled and pulled me to his side carefully. "You doing alright Raven?" he asked, running his fingers through my hair. I shrugged, resting my head on his shoulder. "What's bothering you Raven?" he asked.

Sighing, I closed my eyes. "I'm pissed off with the punishment Pansy got." I muttered, feeling my anger come back.

"And what punishment did she get exactly?" he asked.

I laughed lightly, my anger visible. "Oh just some detention for the rest of the year."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" he fumed, putting his hand on his face angrily. I nodded in agreement and exhaled through my nose loudly. "Let's go to your room and study for a bit or maybe relax to forget about this." I suggested.

Draco lowered his hand and looked at me. "Alright."

Both of us got up and went to the Boy's Dorms. I climbed onto Draco's bed and sat down. He sat next to me and sighed. "All of this shit happening is exhausting me." he mumbled. I rested my head on his shoulder, humming in agreement. "Are your scars still tender Draco?" I asked, looking at him.

One of his hands went to his chest. "A little yeah." he answered.

"Can I see them?" I asked. He blinked a few times in surprise, his cheeks turning a light pink. "Why would you want to see them? They're hideous." he said.

I sat up, looking at Draco. "They aren't hideous Draco."

He narrowed his eyes. "You won't be saying that when you see them." He muttered and began unbuttoning his shirt. I rolled my eyes and watched. He slid his shirt off and his scars were in full view. There were five long lines along his torso, all of them white and faded, but still visible. I ran my fingers along one of the scars gently, Draco hissing softly at the touch and looking at me. "I don't see anything wrong with them Draco. You're still handsome with or without scars." I comforted, still running my fingers over the one scar.

I looked up at Draco and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He smiled and our heads rested together. "You're the only one who shows me all this kindness despite my past. I don't know where I'd be right now if you hadn't transferred here from Romania." he said, holding my hand and running his thumb over the top of it.

"You showed true remorse for your actions Draco. I could see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice when you told me for the first time. I can forgive you for it even if I never experienced them because of that." I said, closing my eyes contently.

Draco sighed and smiled, pulling me to his side. The rest of the evening went by smoothly and we fell asleep in each other's arms.

 **\- -Thursday, May 15, 1997- -**

Draco and I were sitting in front of the Black Lake. It was my seventeenth birthday today and Draco had wanted to take me out for a bit. My friends had already told me Happy Birthday so there wouldn't be any interruptions.

I was resting my head on Draco's shoulder as usual, our hands together. "Hey, Raven?" he said, looking at me. I lifted my head and looked at Draco. "Hmm?" I hummed in response.

He pulled out a small jewelry box. "Happy Birthday Raven." he beamed, smiling. I grinned and opened the box excitedly and gasped. Inside was a silver bracelet with two animal charms: One was a rabbit and the other was a hawk. I looked at Draco, grinning widely. "I love it Draco."

He smiled and helped me put it on. "I actually made it myself, it was very difficult, but it was worth the effort. The charms represent our Patronuses." he said. My cheeks began to hurt from smiling so much. "It's beautiful Draco." I said and hugged him lovingly. He smiled and pressed his lips to mine.

I melted into the kiss instantly, wrapping my arms around his neck. Our lips moved together gently, fitting together so perfectly. I never wanted the kiss to end and it didn't, it got more interesting. I felt something warm and wet run along my bottom lip and a blush crept onto my cheeks as I opened my mouth, allowing our kiss to deepen for the first time. Our tongues met and glided together. It felt so weird, and yet so right.

After a few minutes, we pulled away, saliva trailing from our tongues. My body felt hotter than usual and a shiver ran down my spine. "Wow." I breathed, looking up at Draco. He was blushing and fidgeting, his pupils dilated. I tilted my head to the side a bit. "Are you OK?" I asked.

His cheeks darkened. "Uhh, y-yeah." he stammered. I looked at him, but didn't say anything else. Draco seemed to be acting strange after the kiss and when we got back to the Common Room, Draco excused himself to the bathroom.

I didn't realize the reason for his fidgeting and excuse to use the bathroom until later that night. My face turned red and the thought of what Draco was doing was enough to trigger particular dreams that made me feel hot when I woke up from them.

 **\- -Thursday, June 17, 1997- -**

It was unusually hot outside and classes had gone by so slowly. What didn't help at all with my mood for part of the day was the fact that Draco and I found out who notified the Death Eaters of Draco's protection. It was Crabbe. The asshole sent a letter to his father

It was finally over and almost all of us went outside. I had changed into a black tank top and a black flowy skirt that went down to my mid-thighs and black flats and went to sit under a tree by the Black Lake where Draco said he'd meet me.

Draco's birthday had happened twelve days ago and he still had some chocolate left from the bag I gave him (his face was priceless when I gave him it) and he now had a second bracelet. It was silver as well and had a snake on it. He wore it with his silver snake bracelet that I had gotten him for Christmas.

A smile formed on my face as I walked to the Black Lake. I waved a black hand fan to cool myself down as I walked in the sun, which was intense on my delicate pale skin. I spotted Draco and ran to him. He looked at me and waved, his eyes moving to my outfit.

Admittedly, it made sense as this was a bit more revealing. I usually stuck to wearing shirts with elbow length sleeves, knee length skirts with either thin tights or knee length leggings underneath. I absolutely refused to wear any shirts that had a low neckline, any lower than my collarbone and I would be uncomfortable. I didn't mind wearing tang tops, or shorts as long as they went halfway down my thighs.

I sat down next to Draco as he looked at me. "Are my clothes really that revealing Draco?" I asked, frowning. He froze and shook his head quickly. "No, of course not. It's just different to what you typically wear. Besides, it's not even close to as exposing as hers." he said, gesturing to Pansy in the distance, who was wearing clothing far more revealing than I was.

My scrunched up in disgust at the sight. "Ugh, how revolting." I gagged, blocking the view of her with my hand fan. Draco chuckled and nodded in agreement. I gazed at Draco and noticed that he was still wearing his uniform, but just took off the robe and jumper and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. "How are you wearing that without melting?" I asked.

He shrugged, laying against the tree while I continued to fan myself to keep cool. Draco looked at me and grinned. "Still hot?" he asked. I giggled and nodded. "I'm not fond of hot weather."

Draco chuckled, closing his eyes and putting his hands behind his head. "Go swim in the lake. I'm sure it's cold enough to cool you off in an instant." he said, grinning.

I rolled my eyes and batted Draco on the nose with my fan playfully, making him jump and look at me. "The lake would most likely freeze me in the process. It's still too cold to swim in anyway. I'd rather not become a popsicle."

There was some splashing sounds, which got our attention and we looked at the lake. It was the Giant Squid, it's tentacles were visible above the water. I sighed, wishing the lake wasn't so cold.

Looking over to my left, up ahead I could see Lilia and Harry talking. They had recently gotten together, much to Ginny's dismay. She apparently liked Harry too and wasn't very happy about it. Thankfully, she wasn't obsessed or crazy like Pansy and resorted to ignoring Harry instead.

I giggled softly and smiled. The rest of the day went by smoothly and thankfully the Dungeons were cool when Draco and I went down to the Common Room for the night.

 **\- -Monday, June 30, 1997- -Dinner in the Great Hall- -**

The whole school was silent in the Great Hall. We were just told that Professor Dumbledore had passed away earlier today due to health issues. It was devastating for many of us. Harry looked very pale and tears were brimming in his bottle green eyes and few fell down his cheeks.

I lowered my head, feeling tears well up in my eyes. He had been the one to allow me to come to this school if my family and I were to move from Romania to Britain. He had helped Draco and I during the threat from the Death Eaters. He had done so much and now he was gone.

Draco pulled me into his arms, tears were in his eyes as well. I rested my head on Draco's shoulder, tears falling down my face.

A couple days later, a funeral was held for Dumbledore. It was a sad day for all of us. Everyone was quiet as words were said and he was buried in a white tomb. Things would be different now with Dumbledore gone.

((Despite Harry being with Lilia instead of Ginny, I am still attempting to keep this story as close to canon as possible.))

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	10. Chapter 10

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 10: Summer Heat and Love- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Thursday, July 3, 1997- -**

Draco and I were packing the last of our stuff to leave Hogwarts with the others, we had packed most of our stuff last night, but didn't finish. My brothers were going to meet us at Hogsmead Station as to make sure we are safe and even join us on the train. I felt more comfortable knowing that they'd be there.

So much has happened for my first year here at Hogwarts. The good and the bad. The good was having my friends be with me. Meeting Draco and getting to know him was another. Being there for him when he needed it most and then risking everything to save Draco from the fate of becoming a Death Eater is also one. My friends being there for me when I had a rough day. Draco confessing his feelings for me on Valentine's Day was a great moment.

Harry and I becoming great friends, Draco was friends with Harry and Hermione now after he had shown how much he had changed although Ron was still skeptical. Everyone kept making comments on Harry and I having black hair and green eyes and even called us "Lost Twins" a few times because of it. It was actually very amusing.

The bad was the stress of Pansy's obsession with Draco and her attitude towards me. She got more and more possessive of him as Draco and I got closer as friends. So much so that she resorted to dressing provocatively and even going as far to harm my name and reveal my family's past with the Veritaserum and hitting Draco with the curse that left him with permanent scars on his torso. Another bad was the amount of schoolwork we were given, not fun at all.

I just wondered what would happen now. I sighed and closed my trunk, looking at Draco as he put the rest of his stuff away. "Are you ready Raven?" he asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, let's go." I replied and we both left. Many were in the halls walking about. Some were rushing to leave, others were looking for their friends. It was chaos and Draco complained about them not packing ahead of time. I rolled my eyes at his complaints and walked faster through the crowded halls.

We managed to get out and walked in the direction of Hogsmeade Station with the others. I hummed a song quietly, spacing out as we walked. Draco noticed my humming and smiled, grabbing my hand and holding it. I smiled and squeezed his hand affectionately.

We soon reached Hogsmeade Station. I looked around for Leo and Crow and soon spotted them in the distance. "There they are Draco." I said and pointed to them. He nodded and we walked to them quickly.

Leo grinned at the sight of Draco and I holding hands. "There's my little sister. And I see you are finally in a relationship." he beamed, pulling me into a hug.

Crow chuckled. "We'll be accompanying you two on the train for safety measures. Let's get on before all the compartments are full." he suggested.

I nodded and walked with them to the train and went inside. We all searched for an empty compartment and eventually found one. Lilia, Opal, Pearl and Midna all came in for a few minutes and said their goodbyes (and all hugging me) before going to their own compartments.

The train ride home went by smoothly. I fell asleep with my head on Draco's shoulder and was woken up by him when we arrived at Platform 9 3/4. Mother and Father were there waiting for all of us when we exited the train. I smiled, glad to see them there. All of us walked up to them and we were apparated to the gates of Mancer Manor. Father tapped the gates and they opened. I noticed the albino peacock strutting around the yard with his tail feathers opened.

Draco chuckled. "That peacock is always showing off." he commented.

I giggled and looked at Draco. "Isn't that what you always do?" I teased.

He snorted. "Oh shut it Raven."

Both of us laughed as we entered Mancer Manor. The familiar decor relaxing me as we walked into the Drawing Room. Narcissa was there waiting and pulled Draco into a hug as soon as he got to her. I smiled and sat down, sighing contently. It was great to be home.

Draco walked over to me and sat down, wrapping his arm around my side and pulling me to his side. My smile widened and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Is there something you two would like to explain?" Mother solicited, her hands on her hips.

Both of us blushed and I raised my head from Draco's shoulder. Draco's hand left my side and rested on top of my own hand, our fingers intertwining. I looked at mother nervously and took a deep breath. "Draco and I are in a relationship Mother." I said bluntly.

Her eyes widened and a smiled formed. "Oh, that's wonderful dear!" she praised.

Draco and I both smiled. I rested my head on his shoulder again and readjusted my position to get more comfortable. Narcissa talked with Draco for an hour while I rested until dinner was ready and went to the dining room.

My stomach growled at the smell of the food and I happily ate once Father took the first bite of his meal. We all talked and laughed. Draco and I revealed our relationship, Father was proud, but gave Draco a stern warning to not hurt me. Draco shrank in his seat from feeling intimidated by him. Crow and Leo already knew, but were happy. Narcissa was happy as well.

After dinner, Draco and I left to go to my bedroom and relax. The door now had Draco's name on it as well which made me wonder if they knew Draco and I slept together. Upon entering my bedroom, I slipped off my shoes and laid on my bed, sighing and stretching. I looked over at Draco as he slipped off his shoes while sitting on the bed. "So, you glad to be here?" I asked, turning to lay on my side and resting my head on my hand.

He nodded, laying down and looking at me. "Very. A few weeks of relaxation and a sense of safety is what I really needed after the year we've had at Hogwarts." he said, his eyes a bright silver. I smiled and scooted closer to him, our eyes locked, emerald green meeting bright silver.

Both of us talked for a bit, occasionally moving around on the bed to a more comfortable position. Eventually, I wanted to change into my night gown and told Draco to turn around while I did so. "Why don't you just change in the bathroom?" he asked. "It's my bedroom Draco, I can do what I want." I stated.

He chuckled, folding his arms. "You sure about that?" he sassed and I threw a pillow at the back of his head, knowing he can't hit me back until I was dressed. "Oh, now that's mean Raven." he pouted.

I giggled loudly, stripping out of my clothes and putting my black silk, short sleeved night gown on. It went down to just slightly above my knees and was perfect for the warmer weather. "You can face me now Draco." I said, sitting down. Draco grabbed the pillow that I threw at him and he turned around quickly, throwing it at my face. I fell backwards when it hit me and started laughing.

Draco was laughing so hard that he had to put his hands on his knees to support himself. "Oh Merlin, the look on your face when I threw the pillow." he laughed, wiping a stray tear from his eye.

I looked at him in amusement. "Unexpected, but perfect." I laughed. He nodded and tried to calm his laughter, sitting down. Giggling, I watched as he calmed down and began changing into his night clothes, which was currently just silk bottoms due to the warmer weather.

Once he was dressed in his night clothes, we got comfortable in bed and snuggled close. Draco wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. I smiled and kissed him lovingly. He kissed back and we began snogging (their way of saying making out apparently). I felt Draco's hands roam down my sides. I shuddered in delight, but stopped his hands from moving any further and broke the kiss. "Not yet Draco." I whispered, our lips barely touching.

Draco chuckled quietly. "I wouldn't go any further until you are ready Raven." he whispered, holding me close. I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. We eventually got up to brush our teeth and then went to bed for the night.

 **\- -Monday, July 7, 1997- -**

So far it has been quite peaceful at Mancer Manor. Draco and I have been relaxing and enjoying ourselves now that school was over for the summer. It had been getting hot though, but since cooling charms don't exist yet, nothing can be placed to help keep the manor cool enough during the day. I've had to open the backdoor to the deck in my room during the evening to let in the cooler air in.

Draco and I were currently in the dining room having lunch and talking. "So, Draco, maybe in a few days we could do more training like we did during Winter Break." I suggested, looking at him.

He looked up at me and nodded. "I could use the extra training. I was wondering if someone if your family was able to teach me Occlumency?" he questioned.

I looked at him with narrowed eyes out of concern. "Are you sure Draco? That's some difficult magic."

"I'm positive Raven. It can prove useful later on. Is there someone in your family who can teach me?" he said, drinking some pumpkin juice.

"My grandfather Leonides is a Legilimens and has taught my father and uncles Occlumency so he can teach you, but only if you are willing to go through with the training." I explained, looking at Draco.

"When can the Occlumency training with Leonides start?" he asked.

"I do not know. I must request Father to contact him and we can set up a schedule." I said, finishing the last of my lunch. Draco nodded and finished eating as well. We got up and left the dining room.

We passed through the drawing room and as we got near a corner, Leo jumped out and roars loudly. I shrieked and jumped back into Draco, effectively knocking us down onto the floor. Leo doubled over in laughter as I sat up. I was on top of Draco, a blush on my face, but I began laughing and glared a Leo. "You son of a bitch, I will get you back." I warned playfully.

Draco was now laughing as he sat up slightly, using his elbows as support. I got up and helped Draco up. All of us were laughing. "Is this what happens here Raven?" Draco asked.

"All the time. We all have fun here. You'll love it Draco." I giggled, bringing him upstairs to my bedroom. Leo was laughing in the background and yelled up to us. "Use protection in there Raven."

My face burned in embarrassment, but I laughed even harder regardless. "Oh my god, shut up Leo!" I yelled back. Draco was snickering loudly and pulled me closer to him. "Don't get any ideas Draco." I giggled and he only smirked in response.

I went into my bedroom with Draco and sat down on my bed, sighing softly. "Well, I think I will go to my father's study and talk to Father and see if he can contact Grandfather about those Occlumency lessons you want." I said, braiding a tiny portion of my hair lazily.

"Alright. I just hope he accepts teaching me." he said, sitting next to me. "Is Leo always acting like that around you?"

I laughed and nodded. "He loves to mess with me. It's a common thing between us."

Draco chuckled, amused. I smiled and pulled out my wand, aiming it at one of my quills and wordlessly cast a levitation spell on it and made it move towards Draco. I smirked mischievously and made the soft part tickle Draco's ear. He jumped back, his hand rubbing his ear in confusion.

I tried to stifle my laugh, but that resulted in a very loud snort. I froze and covered my mouth, my face red in embarrassment. Draco looked at me with wide eyes for a moment before bursting out in laughter. My embarrassment faded and I laughed as well.

Draco pulled me to him and started tickling me while laughing. I squealed and squirmed in a vain attempt to escape his clutches. I reached for a pillow, but he took advantage of that and got my underarm and my arm jerked down in response, trapping his hand. He laughed harder and wiggled his fingers which only made my arm tighten against my body.

I reached with my other hand and successfully grabbed a pillow and whacked Draco in the face with it. He made an "Oof" sound and stopped tickling me. I giggled and looked at him, smiling in amusement. His hair was slightly messy and sticking out in some spots. With a smirk, I tackled Draco and we rolled around on my bed laughing.

We messed around for about an hour before stopping to rest for a few minutes. I got up and looked at Draco. "Let's go to my father, he can contact Grandfather for us." I said.

Draco got up and attempted to straighten his hair, which was a mess now. I giggled and grabbed my brush and helped him get it back to it's smooth form. He chuckled and followed me up some stairs to the third floor where Father's study was. We passed a few doors and soon enough we got to the door that said on a silver plaque "Louis's Office".

I knocked on it three times and got a "Come in." a few moments later. I opened the door and entered with Draco.

Father's study was large and had a nice atmosphere. It was beautifully decorated with dark oak furniture, the walls were a dark green and behind Father was a window with black curtains. To our right was a large fireplace with a fire crackling in it. Like the rest of the manor, there was a black chandelier on the ceiling with white candles. Father was sitting at his dark oak desk writing on parchment, most likely paperwork.

"Father? May we speak to you?" I asked, standing in front of his desk but keeping my distance from it by four feet.

He looked up at me and set his quill in the ink pot, folding his hands. "What is it that you wish to speak about?" he asked.

"We were wondering if you could contact Grandfather." I said.

"Whatever for?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Draco spoke this time. "I want to be taught Occlumency and according to Raven, Leonides is a Legilimens and he could teach me if he is willing to." he explained.

Father's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Occlumency? That's a difficult form a magic to learn Draco, are you sure?" he inquired, some concern in his voice.

Draco chuckled. "That's what Raven told me and yes I am sure. I want to protect my mind from those who may try to invade it and use what they see against me."

I looked at Draco. "I hope you understand what you have to do in order to be successful at this form of magic, Draco." I pointed out.

"Raven has a point Draco. There are a lot you must do in order to achieve becoming an Occlumens. Especially with Advanced Occlumency as it requires suppressing your thoughts, emotions and memories." Father explained, looking at him.

Draco nodded. "I understand sir, but I'll do whatever it takes to succeed in this."

Father nodded and stood up. "Very well. I will contact my father now." he informed and walked over to the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder and tossed it into the fire. He called for Grandfather and they began talking.

Grandfather and Draco then talked and they got a schedule planned for his Occlumency lessons. The first lesson would be on July fifteenth at three. The floo call ended and my father had me leave so that he and Draco could speak in private. I told Draco that I'd be in my room and left.

Once I got to my room, I went to my desk and pulled out my drawing notebook and quill and drew for a bit. I was very fond of drawing plants and often drew the roses in the gardens here at Mancer Manor. It's just a passion of mine and has been since I was five. I lost track of time as I finished my latest drawing of some roses and signed it.

I set my notebook down and sat down in bed. The room was feeling hot so I took off my thigh high socks and outer shirt, leaving me in a tang top and skirt that went just slightly above my knees. I got up for a moment and opened the window to let the breeze in and laid back in bed, resting my head on the pillows.

Draco had come back in sometime later and found me asleep in bed and didn't bother waking me, instead climbing into bed and gently running his fingers through my hair until he too fell asleep. We were later woken up by my brothers when dinner was ready. We normally went to the Drawing Room five minutes before dinner so they had to get us when we didn't appear.

Dinner went smoothly with father and Leo cracking jokes at the table (Narcissa seemed to be rather annoyed by it, but she didn't interfere) while Draco and I talked about the lessons he'd be taking.

Dinner ended and as usual, Draco and I went up to my room, talked and stood on the deck while enjoying the cooler air until we felt ready to sleep for the night.

 **\- -Sunday, July 13, 1997- -**

Oh my god, it is too hot. I was sweating and even my hand fan did nothing. Everyone was hot and I was beginning to get cranky from the heat. I immediately got up and went to my dresser. I dug around in it for my black bikini and pulled it out. It actually covered my breasts perfectly and didn't show too much despite it being a bikini, plus I had a bikini skirt that was mid-thigh length.

Draco raised his head to look at me. "What are you doing Raven?" he asked, sitting up. Despite the heat, he was wearing a dark green button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black pants, but it was clear that he was overheating as well.

I looked at Draco and stood by the bathroom. "I am changing into my bikini and going to the pool we have. I kinda forgot to tell you that we had one." I explained and stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

I quickly changed into it and grabbed a black towel and stepped out of the bathroom. Draco's head snapped up and his eyes seemed to scan my body curiously. A light blush formed on his cheeks. "You have a beautiful body, Raven." he complimented. I blushed and grabbed my sunscreen. "Thank you, do you want to go swim with me Draco? The water will be nice and cool." I asked, looking at him.

He nodded and got up. "Let me just grabbed my swim shorts and change into them." he said and went to the dresser that was provided for him. I waited and soon enough he was wearing them and had a towel in his arm. "Ready?" I asked and he nodded and we both left my room to go to the backyard where the pool resided.

Apparently my brothers had the same idea and were already there. Draco stiffened and stood back. I looked over at him and saw how he covered the scars on his torso. I frowned and went to him. "It'll be alright Draco, they won't judge you for the scars." I said softly, looking in his eyes.

He sighed and followed me to the pool where my brothers greeted us, not even showing a reaction to the scars. I set my towel on a nearby table. Despite how badly I wanted to swim, my delicate pale skin would not do well in the blazing sun so I started putting on the sunscreen. Draco set his towel down and helped me get my back since I wasn't able to reach some spots.

Once the sunscreen was on and after making Draco use it as well since his skin was just as sensitive, I ran towards the deep end of the pool and jumped in. The cool water relieved me of the heat instantly and felt amazing. I giggled and wiped the excess water from my face and floated on my back, my eyes wandering to Draco when I raised my head, who was already in the water and swimming towards me from the shallow end.

I allowed myself to adjust my position from floating on my back to hovering in the water. I giggled while Draco swam to me and stood in place. We both stood (or in my case hovered due to my short stature) in a part of the deep end where the water went up to Draco's shoulders.

Draco grinned and pulled me closer. "You are so short, Raven." he teased playfully. I scoffed and splashed water at him, getting his face. "Pfffft! Raven!" he yelped. I laughed and swam away from him as fast as I could. Leo was laughing and watching the scene. Draco swam towards me and caught up quickly and grabbed me from behind. I squealed and kicked my legs around as he held me in place.

He let me go and I swam to a more shallow spot where I could stand and rested for a few minutes. Draco sighed contently and went to the deeper part of the pool until he had to swim to stay above the water and floated on his back. After getting enough energy, I took a deep breath and dived underwater, swimming towards Draco. I managed to swim close to him, but had to resurface to breathe and went back under again.

I did this a few more times and eventually just swam around with Draco. Leo and Crow swam to us and all four of us talked and laughed until the evening, we chose to eat dinner outside for once as to keep swimming and soon enough it was cooler outside. We dried off, went inside and went our separate ways. Draco changed into a pair of boxer briefs since it was too warm to even wear night pants while I wore a shorter night gown to keep cool.

I sighed and sat in bed and brushed my hair to untangle it. "I really hate this warm weather. It makes sleeping at night harder." I complained, setting my brush down. Draco nodded, looking at me. The night went by slowly and sleeping was hell from how warm it was, I was on the verge of throwing my nightgown off to sleep in my underclothes.

 **\- -Tuesday, July 15, 1997- -**

It was fives minutes to three and Draco and I were waiting in the dueling room for my grandfather, Leonides. He was teaching Draco Occlumency today and it would last an hour. Draco seemed nervous and was shifting on his feet. I knew it would be difficult, but Draco was determined to do this.

We looked up when the door opened and Grandfather walked in. He had this intimidating look on his face, but it softened slightly when he saw us. "Hello Raven, are you going to be staying here while I train Draco in Occlumency?" he asked, walking to us and summoning a nearby chair for Draco to sit in.

"Yes Grandfather, if you don't mind that is, otherwise I can leave." I said, watching Draco sit on the chair. "As long as you don't interrupt me while I train Draco, then you may stay here." he informed, pulling out his wand (Alder, dragon heartstring, thirteen inches and rigid flexibility, black color).

Draco stiffened a bit, his nervousness more noticeable now. Grandfather walked over to Draco and explained the basics of Occlumency and how to block the mind before aiming his wand at Draco and saying _"Legilimens!"_

Draco's body seized up and a grunt escaped from gritted teeth. This went on for the next hour and Draco was soon drenched in sweat. Grandfather was being easy on Draco, but not too easy. He soon stopped the lesson and told Draco he did well and they planned more lessons. Grandfather then left and Draco and I went to my bedroom, where Draco decided to take a well needed shower.

I knew it would be a long road ahead for Draco to master Occlumency, but he was strong and I just knew he'd succeed.

 **\- -Thursday, July 17, 1997- -((A/N: This is the very first warning for NSFW content in this event.))**

Hot again.. and I went swimming for a bit and then practiced some Defence Against the Dark Arts for about an hour before stopping to avoid getting too hot. We ate a mid-day snack and sat in the drawing room to pass the time and talked until dinner.

It has been a long, slow day as a result and we were finally able to go to my bedroom and relax for the rest of the evening. I opened the door and took my shoes off after going inside, Draco did the same and closed the door. We went straight to my bed, I sat down on the edge and looked at Draco as he sat next to me. I smiled and kissed his cheek. "What shall we do for the rest of the evening?" I asked.

He smiled back and looked at me. "Well, maybe you could open up the backdoor to the deck to let the cool evening air in. It's pretty warm in here." he replied. I nodded and got up. It was only now starting to get cooler. Upon opening the backdoor, a cool breeze came through, making the candles flicker softly.

I walked back to him and sat down, resting my head on his shoulder. I sighed contently, our hands intertwining. I began to wonder if we were ready to take the next step in our relationship. I bit my lip, blushing softly at the thought and let out a short hum.

"Hey, Draco?" I asked, blushing more. "Yeah?" he replied, looking at me. I lifted my head and looked at him. "Um, I was kind of wondering.. if you.. felt ready to.. um.. take the next step in our relationship?" I asked, my blush darkening.

Draco blushed, understanding what I was asking and looked at the floor. I rubbed my arm nervously. "I-if it's too soon, then it's OK." I mumbled, looking away.

It was silent for another minute before Draco spoke. "I'm ready to take that next step Raven." he finally answered. I looked at him, both of us were blushing at the thought of becoming intimate for the first time.

I leaned in and kissed Draco softly. He pulled me closer and cupped my face with his hands as he kissed me back lovingly. Nothing mattered now as we kissed. It was just the two of us, two people deeply in love, both about to make love for the first time.

Draco broke the kiss and kissed my cheek softly before lowering himself down and peppered my neck with soft kisses. He moved towards my ear and kissed the lobe softly. "You're so beautiful Raven." he whispered softly and sat up to look at me. His eyes were a bright silver and they looked like they were glowing in the candle light.

With a flick of his wand, he locked the door to prevent anyone from walking in and began to unbutton his black shirt. I watched him and took off my silk thigh high socks first before unbuttoning my outer shirt. Draco slid his shirt off and placed it on the foot of the bed and looked at me. I placed my out shirt next to his.

Draco was only in a pair of black pants, his lean toned torso exposed to the cool evening air that filled the room with each small breeze. I on the other hand was only in a black tank top and a mid-thigh length skirt.

I've seen Draco's upper body many times, but this time it was for a different reason so I ended up blushing again. He looked at me questioningly. "May I help undressing you?" he asked softly. I nodded, blushing even more.

Draco scooted closer and gently lifted my tank top over my head, revealing my slim stomach and bralette (a bra with no padding or underwire, basically a piece of fabric shaped like a bra). After setting the top down, he had me lay down and slid my skirt off. I was now only in my black silk bralette and black silk panties. Draco looked at my body as I laid there nervously. He noticed my nervousness and attempted to ease it by unbuckling his belt and taking his pants off.

With both of us only in our underclothes, we both kissed once more, our hands roaming each other's bodies gently and slowly. Draco had lean muscle that was faintly noticeable, but not intense or bulky. I ran my fingers through his soft blonde hair as our kiss deepened for only a few minutes before we pulled away.

I looked at Draco for a moment and then took my bralette off, along with my panties. Draco blinked a few times upon see the black patch of hair between my legs. I had no reason to shave as the hair only covered the mons pubis, everywhere else down there was hairless and never need to be shaved because of it. I felt more mature retaining it anyway.

Draco stared at that specific area and then looked at me, his eyes scanning my entire body. He smiled and our eyes locked. "You are absolutely beautiful Raven." he said, making me smile happily upon hearing those words. He smiled wider and kissed me again, trailing his lips along my jawline and down my neck and sucked on a sensitive spot just below my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

He moved down again, after leaving a mark on my neck, and kissed along my collar bone, biting it gently. I felt myself become aroused slowly, goosebumps covering me. I felt his mouth lower towards my breasts and he began kissing them softly, taking one of the nipples into his mouth. He sucked on it softly and licked it before going to the other and doing the same. Soft moans escaped my lips as he did this.

Draco sat up and slid his dark green boxer briefs off. I watched as he became fully nude like me. There was a thick patch of blonde hair that sat above his erect member, which was at least six inches in length, definitely a surprise for me as my arousal increased downwards, a familiar tingling sensation forming between my legs. I smiled, gazing at Draco and crawled to him. Draco pulled me into his arms and kissed my head. "Are you ready to do this Raven?" he asked quietly. "Yes, I am Draco." I replied.

He smiled and gently moved towards the head of the bed and laid me down, making sure my head and my upper back was laying on the pillows. I opened my legs as he hovered above me. Draco placed a hand on my inner thigh and with his other hand, he ran his fingers down the patch of hair until his fingers brushed along my clit, making me shudder at the pleasing sensation. Taking notice of my reaction, he rubbed my clit more. I let a quiet moan escape my lips as I became more aroused and a wetness formed.

I felt his fingers leave my clit and trail down to the source of the wetness and slid a finger in slowly. My breath hitched at the unfamiliar sensation, it felt weird and strangely good. He slid in another finger and thrusted them inside of me a few times before pulling them out. I looked at him, noticing how he gazed at the clear liquid coating his fingers. My cheeks burned and turned red when he licked his fingers clean, and his reaction showed that he liked the taste as he licked his lips afterwards.

"Um, Raven, do you have some sort of protection we can use?" he asked nervously. "Oh right, yes I do. My mother told me a spell that is used to prevent pregnancy." I said and he looked at in confusion. "We couldn't just use a condom?" he questioned.

I shook my head. "I don't have any, that's why I was taught the spell, in case a condom wasn't available." I explained and grabbed my wand, pressing the tip on my abdomen, directly above my uterus and non-verbally placed the anti-pregnancy spell. I felt a tingling sensation and knew the spell was working. I put my wand back and looked at Draco. "It's working now." I said.

He looked at me and nodded, blushing as he got himself into position. I squeaked quietly when I felt the tip of his member press up against my entrance. "This may hurt a little Raven, but I will try to be gentle. Tell me to stop if it's too much for you." he said softly. I nodded, looking into his silver eyes as he looked into my emerald green eyes.

He pushed himself into me and he sucked in a breath in response. My eyes widened in shock, it didn't hurt at all, it just felt bizarre as all I felt was a stretching sensation and a slight burn. "It doesn't hurt Draco, it just feels weird." I gaped, our eyes still locked on each other's. "Are you sure you're a virgin then?" he teased and I slapped his arm softly. "Oh quiet you." I giggled and pulled him in for a kiss.

Draco began thrusting slowly as we kissed, our eyes closing. Draco moved his hand down to rub my clit. I moaned softly into the kiss. Time began meaningless to us as we made love. He moved down and kissed my neck gently and whispered softly between thrusts. "I love you Raven."

Our breathing soon turned into pants. Draco kept rubbing my clit, which felt amazing as I got used to him being inside of me. Both of us began to feel our orgasms approach and we both agreed to have them together.

Draco's thrusts slowed and he rubbed my clit continuously, making my orgasm get closer as I felt pleasure build up. With a final rub to my clit, my orgasm washed over me and my back arched as a long moan escaped my mouth, my inner walls clamping down on Draco's member. Draco grunted and moaned as his orgasm hit him at the same time mine did. He thrusted a final time and our hips pressed together as his seed spilled into me, filling me with a strange warmth.

Both of us panted heavily once our orgasms faded. Draco pulled out and laid next to me on my left. I turned my head to look at him and smiled. He smiled back, moving his hand up and stroked my cheek. "I love you, Raven." he whispered. "I love you too, Draco." I whispered back.

Draco wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, our bodies resting together. We both nearly fell asleep when we both jolted awake from hearing one of my brothers, likely Leo, running past my bedroom while laughing. He must have done something to Crow. I chuckled quietly and sat up. "We should clean up a bit." I said, standing up. I squeaked at the sudden feeling of warm liquid dripping down my right thigh.

"Eww, that feels weird." I giggled in slight disgust, grabbing a tissue and wiping Draco's seed off my thigh as more continued to seep out. I was shocked at just how much was inside me. Draco chuckled as I faced him, still trying to wipe away what was seeping out. There a small amount where I was laying. "Can you remove that? I don't want any stains." I asked, still wiping the stuff off my thigh.

"Yeah." he said, grabbing his wand and flicking it, the white liquid disappearing from the bed. I wiped the last bit of Draco's seed and sat down. There must have been a tablespoons worth inside me. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was only half passed seven.

Draco and I cleaned ourselves up and got dressed. The locking charm on the door was removed since we weren't needing to worry now. Good timing too as a knock on the door was heard. "Come in!" I answered and the door opened, Leo and Crow were standing at the door. Leo was about to say something when he suddenly sniffed the air. I stiffened, my bedroom must have that smell of sex.

Crow noticed as well and covered his mouth in shock. Leo looked shocked. "Well damn, did we come at a bad time Raven?" he asked. I shook my head. "N-no, we were just about to leave to wander the manor for a bit."

"We just finished our activities if you were wondering." Draco stated bluntly, although his cheeks were red. I glared at him and elbowed his side hard. "Draco!" I nearly shrieked in embarrassment, my face red. He yelped and rubbed the sore spot.

Crow stepped in, looking concerned. "Raven, please tell you used a condom or at least an anti-pregnancy spell."

"I used the spell Crow. I'm not stupid you know." I reassured him. He sighed and looked at Draco and gave him a warning glare before turning around and leaving. Leo looked at us. "So, um, do you guys want to go to the Drawing Room and hang out?" he asked awkwardly.

I looked at Draco curiously and he shrugged. "Sure, why not?" he said and we all left to the Drawing Room. The rest of the evening consisted of us all talking and laughing until late into the night and going to bed. Draco and I were closer than ever before and fell asleep snuggled together.

 **\- -Sunday, July 27, 1997- -**

Draco has been doing well in his Occlumency lessons and my grandfather was quite proud, commenting that Draco is showing some strong magical talent if he is able to block temporarily now.

The weather had cooled down to some more moderate temperatures which was a relief. All of us, Leo, Crow, Draco, Narcissa, Father and Mother, were in the Drawing Room having a nice conversation. It was a nice change for once, but the nice feeling in the room changed drastically when an unknown owl flew in front an open window and landed in front of Draco. In it's beak was a Howler.

Draco's face turned white and the tea cup in his hand dropped to the floor, shattering on impact. Narcissa rushed over to him and sat down. Both of them knew something was wrong as Draco shakily grabbed the Howler and the owl flew off. My father got up and stormed over. "What's going on? Whose owl is that?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"M-my father's.." Draco whispered, his voice shaking with fear. The room became deathly silent as he opened it. I covered my ears as soon as Lucius' booming voice came out.

 _ **"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED WITH THE INFORMATION I HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOU! YOU ARE TO RETURN TO MALFOY MANOR AND PROVE YOUR WORTH TO THE DARK LORD! IF YOU DO NOT RETURN WITHIN THE NEXT FORTY-EIGHT HOURS, WE WILL FIND YOU AND PUNISH YOU SEVERELY!"**_

The Howler then burst into flames and fell on the floor as ashes. I uncovered my ears and looked at Draco, who was shaking violently and his breathing became fast and uneven. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" he cried as he began to suffer a severe panic attack. I jumped into action and spoke to him, telling him that he's safe, but to no avail. He screamed in fear and covered his face with his arms like he was going to be hit.

Crow jumped up and ran to get a Calming Draught while Leo and Father held Draco down to keep him still. I could only watch as Draco continued to scream fearfully. Crow came back with a vial of the potion and uncorked it and pressed the vial to Draco's mouth, forcing him to drink the potion.

It didn't take long for the potion to take effect and Draco visibly relaxed. Father and Leo moved back since he no longer had to be held down. I looked at Draco with a worried expression and hugged him tightly. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing completely. "Even with the Calming Draught, I am still scared. How will I go to Hogwarts now?" he muttered.

I swallowed nervously. "Shit.." I was all I could say. "Raven Mancer, watch your language!" my mother scolded.

I narrowed my eyes at her, which was something I rarely did. "No offense Mother, but this is no time to scold me for my foul language when the stakes are high for Draco's safety at school! How will he go there when Death Eaters will soon be on the hunt for him?" I snapped.

Mother's eyes showed anger, but also understanding so she backed off. I sighed softly and held Draco's hand. He smiled weakly and closed his eyes.

If Lucius was out of Azkaban, then something happened that the Daily Prophet hasn't said yet. This was confirmed a few days later when an issue of the Daily Prophet was realized, stating that a Mass Breakout had happened. Multiple Death Eaters, including Lucius had escaped. It was from this moment on that things would be dangerous.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	11. Chapter 11

((This chapter is shorter as it holds the final month of summer.))

((Enjoy the short chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 11: Fear and Training- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, August 2, 1997- -**

Draco was with Narcissa talking in the drawing room. I was in my bedroom doing what I typically did during Summer: Drawing.

The window in my room was open to let in the cool breeze while I drew. It had been stressful ever since we heard Lucius' Howler and even worse with the fact that he wasn't the only one who broke out of Azkaban. It was scary and since Draco never went back to Malfoy Manor, it was an all out war as Lucius had sent another Howler. It scared all of us and its been tense since then.

I heard the sounds of hurried footsteps and turned around to see who was running. It was Crow, he was holding an Emergency Edition of the Daily Prophet. "Raven! Come to the drawing room immediately!" he said and left quickly without waiting for an answer. I got up and left to the drawing room.

I entered and sat with Draco. The tension was thick and it made me nervous. Father stood up, holding the Daily Prophet in his hands. "The Ministry of Magic had fallen. Taken over yesterday by the Dark Lord." he said in a grim tone. I felt Draco stiffen at the news. Leo and Crow were wide eyed, Mother was covering her mouth in horror and Narcissa looked horrified. Draco pulled me into his arms protectively, his arms wrapped around me tightly.

"What will happen now?" I asked, my voice shaking with fear. Father shook his head, indicating he did not know. "Everyone is to stay indoors at all times from now on. The wards here will be checked to assure their protection and an alarm ward will be placed to alert us of an incoming attack." he informed.

I looked at father. "What will Draco and I do about school? I don't think Leo and Crow can join us on the train again."

"I do not know Raven. What I do know is that you and Draco will receive proper training that all seventh years students receive for Defence Against the Dark Arts. The school year will be more dangerous and I want you both to be prepared early." he explained.

I nodded, worry overwhelming me. With the Ministry down, things will get so much more dangerous. Draco then spoke. "When will Raven and I start the training?" he asked.

Father looked at Draco. "In a few hours. You will both be trained every day for an hour or more. Leo, Crow and I, and possibly other members of our family will train you. You, Draco, will continue your training with my father on Occlumency." he explained.

Everyone, including me, talked about this until lunch came, we ate and then an hour later, Draco and I were given seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons.

For the next few days, we were given these lessons and were given proper training to increase the strength of the spells. Draco continued his Occlumency lessons and was getting better at them.

 **\- -Thursday, August 7, 1997- -**

I was in the dueling room with Draco and my grandfather as they did the Occlumency lesson. Draco looked like he was doing well and to my surprise, he managed to throw my grandfather right out of his mind. Grandfather chuckled in approval. "Well done, Draco. Your mental block has gotten stronger. Let's do it again. _Legilimens!_ "

Draco tensed for a moment, but threw him out instantly. Grandfather chuckled once again and did this a few more times to test Draco and he proved that he has mastered Occlumency. I grinned as Grandfather praised Draco and they ended the lesson. I walked with Draco to the dining room where we both had a mid-day snack and then went to the drawing room to talk.

As we entered, Draco took notice of a photo sitting on one of the tables. "Is this you Raven?" he asked, picking up the photo. It showed a girl with shoulder length black hair, the same v-cut bangs, wearing a black dress and holding a black wand while bouncing softly in place.

I smiled and looked at it. "Yes it is. That's the day I got my wand. I was so happy." I said, giggling softly. He smiled, gazing at the photo. "Your hair was a lot shorter back then. Did you live in Romania at the time?" he asked.

"Yeah. I was born there and then moved here to Britain in April 1996 when Dumbledore allowed me to transfer to Hogwarts." I answered.

"Oh, I didn't know that." he chuckled, putting the photo down. "Of course you didn't, I never told you." I said, giggling. Draco rolled his eyes and chuckled, walking to the leather sofa and sat down. I joined him and we talked for a while.

 **\- -Friday, August 8, 1997 through Thursday, August 21, 1997- -**

The next two weeks went by slowly, but most of it when by the same. Draco and I continued our seventh year Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons and Draco continued to train his skills in the subject. He has gotten stronger and was reaching the strength of a Mancer. When Draco asked if my family and I are a powerful as Dumbledore, I said no, but close.

Our strengths only go to Defence Against the Dark Arts, which in fact includes dueling as I found out recently from Father. Our magic is fairly average with other subjects, although some may have a natural talent with the other subjects.

It was actually fun dueling Draco for practice as we would end up laughing when the other casts a non-verbal spell as a surprise attack. It was good practice using the non-verbal spells. We were even getting training on doing wandless magic, which is some difficult stuff.

I managed to get my revenge on Leo after he had done that scare on me. There were a few more hot days that made us go swim in the pool and then there were days where Draco and I just laid in bed together enjoying each other's company and being affectionate. It was nice to just forget the problems of our world and enjoy the peaceful moments.

 **\- -Friday, August 22, 1997- -**

I was panicking. Lilia had owled me urgently for help and I didn't need another minute to read why as the Daily Prophet had sent out names for muggle-borns who are wanted for interrogation, Lilia's name being one of them on the list. I shot out of my chair and ran towards Father's study, not listening to Draco's calls.

I knocked on the door urgently and was let in. "F-Father, it's urgent. I need to speak to you now." I stammered.

Father looked at me with concern. "It wouldn't happen to be about the names on the Daily Prophet would it?" he questioned.

"Yes and no. I am aware of it, but it's a letter I got from Lilia Heartstrings, my friend from school. She owled me and urgently asking for the protection of her parents as they could be attacked by Death Eaters. Her parents don't know where to go and are worried. I-I don't know what to do." I fretted, tears welling up in my eyes from worrying about Lilia and her parent's safety.

Father stood up abruptly, startling me. "My apologies Raven, I didn't mean to scare you. I will contact my brothers and see who can go with us. One of them can take the Heartstrings to a safe location and keep watch. Lilia can stay here with us." he explained

A sense of relief flooded over me, but some worry still lingered. "Father, may I go with? She will know she's safe if I'm there." I asked nervously.

He nodded, grabbing some floo powder. "Yes Raven, you can and Draco may come if he wishes." he said and called for both my uncles. About ten minutes passed and uncle Axel agreed to take Lilia's family into protective hiding. Whether he would have them live with us, which was risky since the amount of magic here may be a problem or they might be taken to a shelter nearby that has the same wards.

The door behind me opened and I turned around quickly. Draco was there with a look of worry. "You can come in Draco. I need to speak to you anyway." Father said before I could say anything.

Draco stepped in and stood by me. Father explained to Draco about the situation and Draco quickly agreed to going with us to get Lilia and her parents. Father led us out and took us to the drawing room. Leo and Crow were there talking to each other while Mother read a book. Narcissa was having tea as usual.

I sat down with Draco and rested my hand with his. Father went and explained the situation to everyone else after getting their attention. What I did not expect, because I had forgotten about this minor detail, was Narcissa's face scrunching up in disgust and standing up abruptly. "Unbelievable! You are allowing a mudblood into this manor?" she scolded.

Father narrowed his eyes in anger at the foul word. "I will not tolerate such foul language in this house Mrs. Malfoy." he warned, his voice stern.

"I refuse to live in such a place if you people have such views on them." she protested.

Draco stood up and walked to her. Both of them began arguing and it got nasty. Narcissa accused Draco of being a blood traitor after she realized that he was no longer like her in her beliefs of those who are not Pure-bloods. The pain in Draco's eyes was visible, but he kept fighting until he finally convinced her to stay albeit reluctantly. She said she'll stay in her bedroom from now on and won't be joining in with us and left to her bedroom.

Draco slammed his fist against the wall in frustration and sat down next to me. I grabbed his hand and rubbed it gently. He looked at me with a pained expression. "It'll be alright Draco." I said softly. He sighed and leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes.

I went to my bedroom to reply to Lilia's letter and told her that we can come get her. I had her owl go as fast as possible and got a response about thirty minutes later. I opened it and a photo fell out. I picked it up and it was of a house. I looked at the letter and she said it was of her house so that we could apparate there. I grinned and sent her owl away.

I left my bedroom and ran to the drawing room. Just as I got there, the floo flared up and my uncle and aunt walked in. They spoke to my father for a few minutes planning on what they would do. I showed them the photo of Lilia's house so that we'd be able to apparate there.

Uncle told me that they originally planned on just putting wards around the Heartstrings' house, but magic makes muggle stuff go haywire so that plan was scrapped. The true plan was to place Lilia's parents to a safe location where they wouldn't be attacked.

Once that was settled, I asked Draco if he still wanted to go with, which he replied with a quick nod and got up. All of us left the manor and passed the gates and we were all apparated to Lilia's house. Thankfully, there were no muggles around to see us appear. I looked at the house in front of us and it matched the one in the photo.

We all walked up to the door and I knocked since Lilia would recognize me. A few moments later, a man answered. "Yes?" he asked, looking at all of us.

"Is Lilia there? She told me this was her house." I asked.

"It is. Are you Raven?" he asked and I nodded. "Lilia, your friend is here!" he called and I heard footsteps. "You can all come in." he said and moved out of the way. We all entered and I was amazed at the things that muggles had. So different compared to what I was used to seeing. Lilia practically tackled me to the floor which made me laugh as she hugged me.

Draco was laughing and watched in amusement while my father and uncle talked to Lilia's parents about their plan. "Oh Raven, I'm so glad you're here." she beamed and looked at Draco with a kind smile. "Hi Draco. How are you today?" she asked, standing up and pulling me up.

He grinned, looking at Lilia. "I'm doing alright so far. Had a rough start, but it's all good now." he said.

Lilia smiled and looked at me. "So will I be staying at your place Raven? Where will my parents go?" she asked. I told her the details and she nodded. "I only hope that they'll be safe." she murmured.

We talked for a bit longer and soon left. My uncle took Lilia's family to a safe house where my aunt and cousin would be waiting while Father apparated Draco, Lilia and I back to Mancer Manor. Lilia retched a bit from the apparition, but recovered and stared in amazement. "Wow Raven, your home is beautiful and quite big." she marveled. "Wait until you see the inside." I giggled as we passed the gates.

Lilia's jaw dropped when we did go inside. We introduced her to my mother and brothers and showed her to her temporary bedroom. It had been planned that Lilia will join and Draco and I in the training and for the rest of the month we all trained together in Defence Against the Dark Arts. She became aware of Narcissa being here, but didn't meet her since Narcissa remained in her bedroom.

Sometime during the week, Lilia had asked what she would do since all muggle-borns were expelled due to the new rules at Hogwarts made by the Dark Lord and she wanted to go despite the rule. I had one plan, but it was very risky. Lilia could attempt to change her appearance so that she could go, but Opal, Pearl and Midna would have to be near in case she accidentally revealed herself.

All I knew was that with all that's happened, and with how things are in Slytherin, this school year was going to be hell.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	12. Chapter 12

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 12: Bruises and Broken Bones- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Monday, September 1, 1997- -**

Nervous was an understatement. I was frightened about going back, as was Draco, and Lilia especially. The Daily Prophet had reported that Professor Snape was now Headmaster of Hogwarts and we had two new teachers for Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies.

Draco, Lilia and I were all up early to get ready and spend a bit of time together. It was currently seven in the morning. Draco was taking a quick shower while I packed my stuff, making sure that I had extra supplies. I decided not to bring my drawing notebook as I couldn't bear losing it. I grabbed some extra quills and ink and plenty of parchment.

I stood in place and thought of what else I may need. My thoughts were interrupted when the bathroom door opened and Draco stepped out wearing only black pants with the belt unbuckled. I whistled at him teasingly and he chuckled. "Very funny Raven."

"What did you expect me to do when you're showing off that body of yours?" I asked, giggling and putting my hands on my hips. Draco laughed and buckled his belt and walked over to me. "Get dressed Draco and continue packing your stuff. Be sure to pack extra stuff as school will not be easy this year." I informed as I grabbed the last of the things I may need.

Draco went over to his dresser and grabbed a clean, black button down shirt and put it on and buttoned it up. He then put his tie and coat on. I finished packing my stuff and sat on my bed while Draco packed his stuff.

He didn't take long and Lilia was soon packed up as well so we had time to plan more. She would be changing her appearance to avoid being recognized and hopefully it would keep her safe. She wouldn't be able to attend classes so she would have to find a place to be without getting caught. I suggested going to the Room of Requirement and staying there. It can provide everything she needed and Draco and I could come visit from time to time.

I shuddered at the thought at what may happen while there. Pansy would most likely continue her constant attacks on Draco and I. There were quite a few Slytherins who were now hostile towards Draco and I for our stances in the war and they may lash out at us or worse kick us out of the Common Room.

About two hours passed as we all planned and it was soon nine in the morning so we went to the dining room to eat a good breakfast. We continued our conversation as we ate and stayed in the drawing room afterwards until about ten-thirty. Lilia then began fixing her appearance. She had some great difficulty and soon managed to get her hair to look different, but she couldn't change her eye color so she decided that she'd have to keep her face hidden with the hood of her coat until she could safely hide in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.

We got our stuff and left the manor to get to Platform 9 3/4. With a small pop, we arrived there. Mother and father hugged me tight, wishing for a safe school year, although the chances for that is slim. Draco, Lilia and I then went onto the train and quickly chose a compartment.

Midna, Opal and Pearl soon found us and joined in. Opal was the first to notice Lilia. "Hello, are you new here?" she asked. Lilia giggled in response, raised her head to show her face and whispered to Opal. "It's me, Lilia."

Opal's eyes went wide and kept her voice low. "Lilia?! Why are you going to Hogwarts? Muggle-borns were expelled." she hissed in worry. Midna and Pearl were shocked as well.

Lilia explained everything and they looked worried still. "Please be careful, OK?" said Midna.

"I will." she replied.

All of us talked as the train took us to Hogwarts. "So Raven, Draco, how was your summer?" Midna asked. Lilia smirked, she knew Draco and I did some things that were personal. Midna noticed the smirk and grinned. "Don't tell me you two..you did it did you?" she said, hinting at the idea that Draco and I were no longer virgins. An unwanted blush formed on my face and Draco coughed awkwardly.

Opal and Pearl looked confused while Midna shook with silent laughter. I narrowed my eyes at Midna. "And what exactly do you think we did, Midna?" I asked.

Midna grinned, looking at us. "You two had sex didn't you? During the summer."

My blush darkened and Draco blushed heavily. "What Draco and I did in personal terms in none of your business, but you can guess all you want." I replied, my face burning.

Her face softened. "Raven, I'm only teasing lightly. I think it's wonderful if you two became intimate as it can be another way of showing love. I'd never truly make fun of you for it." she said softly.

I sighed and rested my head on Draco's shoulder, nodding. Draco wrapped his arm around my mid-section. "Look girls, Raven and I are closer and but we aren't ready to reveal something that personal yet." Draco explained and Midna nodded in understanding.

The rest of the train ride mostly consisted in us talking. I fell asleep with my head in Draco's lap while Lilia tried to figure out where she'd go since she couldn't go to her house currently. Draco was running his fingers through my hair as usual when I slept. I jolted awake when a chocolate frog jumped on my face. Pearl laughed and apologized while grabbing the chocolate creature from my face.

I giggled softly, stretched and went back to sleep, although I couldn't fall back asleep as worry grew and I eventually sat up. We were nearing Hogwarts and we all changed into our robes. The train soon slowed to a stop and we all left the train. Lilia stayed with the other girls while Draco and I stayed together and held hands.

I looked around and spotted Pansy behind not too far behind us and warned Draco. We walked faster and got into a horseless carriage and waited until we arrived at Hogwarts and went inside with the others.

We entered the Great Hall and sat at our table. Draco narrowed his eyes and I scowled when Pansy sat across from us. She glared at me and gave me the 'I have my eyes on you.' gesture.

Rolling my eyes, I ignored the girl and watched the first years get sorted. I smiled and greeted the new Slytherins. The poor little snakes looked so nervous and allowed them to sit next to me. A small speech was said and the food appeared at the tables. I enjoyed the food as usual and once dinner was over, a few things were said and we were excused.

Draco and I led the first year Slytherins to the Slytherin Dungeons, told them what the current password was and led them inside. We both took turns explaining everything and dismissed them. I sat down on the leather sofa with Draco and felt him wrap his arm around my waist. I smiled and looked at him. He leaned in and kissed me passionately.

We snogged for only a small amount of time before we were forced apart by Theodore and Goyle. "You two don't belong in Slytherin! Get out traitors!" Theodore snarled, gripping my right arm painfully. Draco yanked his arms out of Goyle's grip and stood up. "You can't kicked us out Nott!" Draco hissed.

"We can and we will." said a obnoxiously familiar voice. I turned my head and saw Pansy with my trunk as she dropped it next to me. Crabbe came down with Draco's trunk and dropped it next to mine. "We can't have any traitors in Slytherin so we are getting rid of the ones who are not worthy." said Crabbe.

With a growl, I stomped my foot on Theodore's foot and moved away from him when he let go of my now sore arm and I was certain a bruise was forming from the grip he had. Theodore and Goyle grabbed us again and dragged us both to the exit and threw us out along with our trunks.

I growled loudly and buried my face into my hands. "C'mon Raven, let's go see if we can stay in the Room of Requirement." Draco said as he got up, anger in his voice. I looked at him and got up as well, grabbing my trunk. We left the dungeons and went straight to the floor where the room was and out of dumb luck, Lilia was right there. We walked to her quickly and explained the situation.

She frowned at what she heard and paced along the wall three times until a door appeared and we all entered. There were three four poster beds with small dressers in front of them and end tables with doors as well for our stuff, two doors that likely led to the bathrooms, some laundry baskets for putting our clothes in and another door that led somewhere.

We walked around and chose our beds, although Draco and I chose to sleep in one bed. I laid down and sighed, feeling too exhausted to unpack or even change into my nightgown. Draco chuckled and attempted to make me sit up. "Raven, you need to unpack." he urged, but I refused to sit up. "But I'm tired." I whined softly.

He snorted in response and wrapped his arms around me and with little effort he picked me up. I squealed and looked at him. He was grinning as he held me. "You are very light Raven." he said. "Put me down Draco." I squeaked.

Draco pouted and did so. "Now get unpacked Raven, just do a little bit for now at least." he urged as he began unpacking his stuff. I sighed and unpacked my stuff, pulling out my nightgown in the process. It took less time to unpack than it did to pack and I managed to unpack all of my stuff.

Since it was only Lilia and Draco, I had no problem changing in front of them. Lilia jokingly whistled at me and even slapped my ass as well, causing me to shriek in surprise, but I laughed afterwards. Draco was laughing so hard he fell on the bed. I put my nightgown on and sat on the bed. Once Draco calmed down from laughing, Draco healed the hand shaped bruise I had on my arm. Then all three of us talked for a bit and went to bed.

 **\- -Monday October 13, 1997- -**

School has been scary. The two new teachers for Muggle Studies and Dark Arts were always mean towards Draco and I. I was horrified when I found out that Defence Against the Dark Arts class was now Dark Arts. I couldn't stand casting any dark spells due to my family past and the professor for the class constantly talked about it. Saying that the Scarletts did something great and that it was a shame that they turned good.

My mood has dropped and I felt depressed most of the time. My mood did get uplifted slightly when I heard about the Hufflepuffs taking in the first year Slytherins after they got scared of Pansy, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle and any other Slytherins who were horrible. I was sad that the tiny snakes couldn't enjoy being in Slytherin when there were those who gave Slytherin a bad name. And for the Hufflepuffs to set aside their beliefs and take them in was so kind and thoughtful.

The punishments were terrible as well. I got punished a few times and ended up with bruises and cuts. All of which angered Draco, but he couldn't do anything about it other than heal the cuts and bruises and comfort me since I would often come back crying.

The other houses have accepted me and eventually accepted Draco since we were kicked out of Slytherin. Opal, Pearl and Midna have started staying in the Room of Requirement and a few other students have joined in. The Room expanded, adding more beds, bunk beds mainly, the bathrooms were expanded, adding more shower stalls and toilets, and everyone could go through a door to the kitchens for food. Large tables appeared so that we could do homework and study.

It was one of the few things that was relaxing here. All of us helped each other out regardless of house and I joined the DA with Neville, Luna and Ginny so I could help teach. I helped out the first year Slytherins with anything they needed when I wasn't in the Room of Requirement.

Pansy had been relentless once again, but this time she was trying to turn Draco against me and the others as well as trying to seduce him. It was stressful as hell and I had reached my wits end last week and punched her in the face when she flirted with him. She backed off, but today had finally ended her attempts on Draco.

She had cornered him and tried to kiss him, this time her hand was on his upper thigh and it was trailing closer to his crotch. I witnessed this when coming back from the bathroom and punched the shit out of her while Draco hexed her.

I had then grabbed her by her collar and locked eyes with her, hatred burning in my eyes. "Listen here Pansy Parkinson. If you do not stop this vile attempts at making Draco love you, you will face the true powers of a **Scarlett**." My voice was low and threatening and it made the color in her face drain completely. She ran off and ever since then, she stopped that vile attempt to make Draco hers.

Despite that, she still attacked Draco and I for our stances, but avoided flirting or flaunting her body at Draco. Crabbe and Goyle were harsh towards me and would shove me when they walked passed.

Currently, it was the evening and I was snuggled with Draco. He has his arms wrapped around me protectively since today had been harsh again with the Carrows lashing out at us. Many of the other students staying here with us had some cuts and bruises from the punishments as well. Draco, who was rather skilled in healing magic, used this to his advantage and healed us whenever possible.

A few were studying and some were talking quietly. At least while in the Room of Requirement we could get some peace. I groaned softly as a small stress headache formed from the day I had and rubbed my temples softly.

Draco frowned and looked at me." Headache?" he asked softly. I nodded, groaning as there wasn't anything that could be done about it. I laid down and sighed softly, slowly falling asleep as my head pounded. Draco kissed my head and held me close, falling asleep as well.

 **\- -Wednesday, November 5, 1997- -**

I woke up to the sound of retching. I got up, yawning, and looked over where the retching sound came from. It was from Draco, he was turned over the edge and vomiting onto the floor. This worried me and I got up with my wand, walking over to Draco's side. There was a large pool of vomit on the floor so I flicked my wand and it disappeared and I conjured up a bucket for Draco. He gratefully took it and vomited again.

I leaned over and placed the back of my hand on Draco's forehead. He was burning up with a fever and just telling by the vomiting, his definitely had the stomach flu. How he got it is unknown, but he wasn't going to be well for a good twenty-four hours unless Madam Pomfrey could lessen the amount of time. Everyone else woke up to find this scene of Draco holding the bucket and they stayed back to avoid getting sick.

He looked so miserable, but it looked like he wouldn't be needing the bucket so I cleaned it out with a flick of my wand and set it to the side. "Let's dressed Draco and then I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing." I said as I grabbed my clothes, closed the hangings on the bed and changed.

Draco took longer to dress due to being sick, but managed to get dressed. I grabbed my wand and slid it into my robe and took Draco straight to the Hospital Wing. He groaned as we walked, he was a sickly pale and looked like he would vomit again soon. We entered the Hospital Wing and Madam Pomfrey quickly had Draco lay down while she examined him.

"Stomach flu as well. You're the fifth student to get it." she told him and left to get stuff to treat him. Knowing he'd be in good hands, I left the Hospital Wing and went back to the Room of Requirement. The others asked about Draco and I explained the situation while grabbing my school supplies needed for today's classes.

Draco was released sometime in the evening fully recovered thanks to Madam Pomfrey's incredible healing skills and was able to eat a proper meal without the risk of getting sick so the rest of the day went as well as it usually would in this messed up school year.

 **\- -Friday, November 21, 1997- -**

This year is just terrible, even though many of the professors are kind, but the Carrows are an exception and kept placing false accusations on me and giving me detentions, which I have finally begun avoiding all together, regardless of the consequences. I avoided Dark Arts class and thankfully I never took Muggle Studies.

Draco stayed close to me as much as he could. He's become fiercely protective of me and he's grown more courageous over the last few months since school started. A huge improvement since as he was not very courageous when I first met him.

Today was OK so far, classes had been decent, but when I thought it would be OK longer, disaster struck. As Draco and I went down some stairs to go to our next class, Goyle grabbed me from behind without warning and shoved me down the stairs. I shrieked and fell down hard, my left calf slamming into the railing hard enough to cause a snapping sound to be heard.

I let out a blood curdling scream from the pain I felt in my leg. The bone was snapped in half and stuck out as my leg bent at a horrible angle. Draco ran to me in an instant and fell to his knees, his face white with fear as he glanced at my broken leg. I sobbed loudly from the pain, tears streaming down my face. He glared at Goyle and yelled, "Why would you do that?!" Goyle responded with, "She was keeping you from following in your father's footsteps!" and ran off.

He couldn't move me without causing injury to my leg and cast his Patronus and told it to get Madam Pomfrey. The hawk Patronus flew off with a screech. Draco brushed my bangs to the side as he waited. A few students froze at the scene, one even vomited at the sight of the bone in my leg sticking out. He looked at them, his pale grey eyes filled with fear.

Madam Pomfrey arrived only moments later and took one good look at me and went into action. She had to set the bone, which Draco prepared me for as she got ready to do right there. I screamed in agony as she did it and all Draco could do was squeeze my hand. I felt my vision darken from the pain and I blacked out.

When I woke up I was in the Hospital Wing. My leg was healed, but sore and there bandages where the bone had stuck out. I shuddered at the image of my bloody bone sticking out. Gazing over to my left, I saw Draco sitting in a chair asleep. I smiled weakly and reached my hand towards him and touched his arm.

He jolted awake, making me grin in amusement, and he looked at me. "Oh, Raven, you're awake. Are you feeling alright?" he asked, looking at me while leaning forward to kiss my head.

"I'm feeling okay Draco. My leg is sore though." I said, giggling softly when he kissed my head. I blushed a bit when my stomach growled loudly from not eating lunch.

Draco chuckled. "Sounds like you're hungry. You did miss lunch and you probably won't be able to make it to dinner tonight." he said.

"How long was I out?" I asked curiously.

He looked at the clock. "About five hours. Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?" he asked and I nodded. He left for a moment and she came over and observed my leg. "You'll be able to leave tonight Mrs. Mancer." she informed and had a tray of food brought over so I could eat. Draco sat down and watched as I began eating.

I let out a pleased hum as I ate, taking a quick drink of the pumpkin juice. I was soon finished and laid down. Draco and I talked until I was released from the Hospital Wing and we both went to the Room of Requirement. We were ready to go to bed as this day was stressful and drained us.

The students inside asked if I was okay, which I replied with a yes and said that I was going to sleep. I didn't bother changing and just took off my robe, tie and shoes and fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

 **\- -Thursday, December 25, 1997- -**

Over a month has passed since I had broken my leg from being shoved down the stairs. School was still scary, but Draco and I made it through. Lilia chose to stay at Hogwarts, as did Opal, Pearl and Midna, to keep watch and to make the sure that the Room of Requirement stayed the way it did.

Many more students had taken refuge in the Room, it was crazy, but good as we all got along quite well now. The first year Slytherins were doing good staying with the Hufflepuffs, although they were tormented by Pansy, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle for being with the Hufflepuffs.

Even the second year Slytherins were kicked out when many revealed that they were on our side of the war so they too were taken in by the Hufflepuffs, and since conjured objects didn't last long, sleeping bags were used instead. I always smiled at the kindness of them for doing something like that.

My family was horrified when I told them what had happened so far when Draco and I came here to Mancer Manor for Winter Break. They insisted that we both stay here, but it wasn't possible as it was now mandatory for all students to attend. I wanted to stay out of school, but what choice did I have?

Anyway, it had been great staying at the manor again. Draco and I were able to relax and unwind and prepare for the rest of the year. On the second day of coming here, I played in the snow while Draco watched. I felt mischievous so I had snuck up on him from behind and shoved a handful of snow down the back of his shirt. He had yelped and jumped around as the snow ran down his back while I laughed so hard that I fell onto the ground.

He got me back by throwing snow at my face and then tickling me until I practically begged him to stop before I end up peeing myself. It was all in good fun and we enjoyed that day in the snow.

It was now Christmas Day and we had opened our presents only a few hours ago. Draco got a wand care kit from me and of course some chocolate candy.

Draco got me a second ring to go with my main emerald ring that I've owned since I was five years old. My ring had one large square emerald in the middle with three smaller emeralds on each side and it was made of platinum. The ring Draco got me was platinum with small clear diamonds and was quite beautiful. I had quickly put it on and kissed Draco lovingly.

The day later consisted of Draco noticing a few photos of me as a child. There was one he liked: it was a photo of me when I only seven years old. I was outside in the backyard wearing a black silk dress and black dress shoes. My hair was chin length and my bangs were the same style I had today. I was smiling in the photo as I stood in front of a fountain, holding a single black rose.

Draco smiled and commented at how adorable I was and we both wandered the manor afterwards. We had to continue our training in Defence Against the Dark Arts due to the lack of the class at school. Thankfully, we didn't need to train today or tomorrow so we had time to enjoy ourselves.

I had messed with Draco a couple of times by hitting him with a harmless zapping spell that my uncle Zakari had taught me. It was funny to see Draco yelp in surprise when I got him on the ass with the spell since it causes a tingling sensation. He got me back by slapping my ass when I wasn't paying attention. We laughed a lot today and had fun.

The Christmas dinner soon came and it was wonderful. All of us, except Narcissa as she was still pissed off, sat in the drawing room for a little bit to talk after the dinner. A mistletoe formed above Draco and I in the middle of a conversation we were all having and it went silent. Draco smiled and leaned in and I did the same, both of us kissing passionately. We ended the kiss quickly as we didn't want to get it awkward and continued talking for an hour before all of us departed for the night.

Draco and I went to my bedroom, closed the door, locked it and almost instantly got into a heated make out session. My short stature made it harder to kiss Draco when we are standing so I grabbed onto him and wrapped my legs around his hips. He held me and took me to our bed and set me down.

Both of us made love that night and basked in the afterglow afterwards, snuggled together and falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.

 **\- -Monday, January 12, 1998- -**

Coming back to Hogwarts was tough, not to mention scary when taking the train. Lilia was doing well when we got back although she had expressed her worries for us, which I didn't blame her for.

The Carrows were relentless towards me, as were Pansy, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle. It was stressful and it was weighing me down again. I got through my classes with ease and avoided Dark Arts class regardless of the consequences. Draco got punished a few times by the Carrows and had some nasty bruises on his face and arms, which got healed by me.

Unfortunately, Draco was now unable to use healing magic as often as the Carrows have grown suspicious. I was not looking forward to this and Draco could tell.

I was teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts with Neville, Ginny and Luna as usual. It was nice and I really loved teaching the subject. I'm just hoping I can survive the rest of the school year. If it's going to be this stressful for the rest of the year, then I got another thing coming.

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	13. Chapter 13

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 **\- -Chapter 13: Red eyes and Arguments- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Friday, February 14, 1998- -**

Classes were over for the day and I was deep in thought, smiling contently as I sat at one of the tables in the Room of Requirement. I couldn't stop thinking about how it has already been one year since Draco and I got together. That was the happiest moment of my life and it only made me happier knowing that we've made it this far and I wondered what will happen next.

My thoughts were interrupted by a pair of strong arms wrapping around me gently and the familiar scent of apples and vanilla hit my nose. I giggled softly and looked at Draco. "Hello Draco." I said happily.

"Hey Raven, Happy Valentine's Day." he said, smiling, placing a bouquet of black roses in front of me. I smiled and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. He knew I loved black roses. "So what do you want to do?" I asked.

"Well a date would be nice. We have been together for over a year now and it is Valentine's Day after all." he said, sitting down next to me and rested his chin on his hand.

"I'd love to, but how will we go on a date when the Carrows have their eyes on us when outside the Room?" I asked, playing with the black roses.

"I have one idea." he said and leaned in, whispering it. My cheeks turned a dark shade of red and my legs snapped together in an instant. "D-Draco, we can't do that in here, the others would see!" I squeaked quietly.

He only grinned. "Oh with a few spells, it'll be fine." he said casually. I looked around nervously. There were still a few students in here and to do something so sexual when they are still around is embarrassing to think about, but I couldn't help but feel hotter at the thought of what he was going to do.

"I hope you're right Draco." I mumbled and got up, carrying the black roses. He got up as well and led me to our bed. I looked around cautiously, the other students that were here weren't even paying attention. I climbed in and set the roses on the end table while Draco put up a few spells, consisting of a Sound-barrier Charm, which would keep any sounds we made from being heard by anyone else, a spell that would lock the hangings in place to keep the others from opening them and one other spell I didn't recognize.

Draco laid me down and pressed his lips to mine softly, our kiss deepening quickly. Our tongues battled and Draco's hand slowly trailed down my body until he reached my panties and rubbed my clit through the silky fabric. I moaned softly into the kiss, my hands going into his soft blonde hair.

I could feel myself become aroused as his rubbed my clit. He broke the kiss, saliva trailing from our tongues, and began kissing down my neck softly, reaching that one spot just below my ear. Another soft moan escaped my lips in response. With his other hand, he lifted my shirt and kissed my collarbone gently a few times.

My bralette was then lifted up, exposing my breasts, my nipples hard from arousal. Draco's tongue ran along my right breast before he sucked gently on the nipple and then switched to the other breast.

I moaned again as his hand went from my clit and lowered downwards, two fingers slipping inside me smoothly. He kissed along my stomach and abdomen as he fingered me for a good three minutes before pulling them out and licking them clean. I gazed at him, my pupils dilated from arousal.

Draco smiled and lifted my skirt, exposing my black panties and black thigh highs. He pulled them both down with ease and tossed them to the side. My cheeks reddened, he was really going to do this. He grabbed my legs and draped them on his shoulders as he went down. I could feel his breath on me, sending shivers down my spine.

He grinned at me and his mouth made contact with me. My back arched and a long moan escaped my mouth. Oh, screw my polite speaking. His tongue ran all over my pussy and thrusted into my core, curling around inside and even brushing along my g-spot. I moaned continuously, my hands reaching down and gripping Draco's hair.

I never wanted it to end. It felt so good and I could feel the familiar pressure building up as I grew close to cumming. My breathing grew fast and heavy as I moaned louder from Draco eating me out. My toes curled as I grew closer to cumming and I heard a grunt from Draco, then a long, pleasured moan. He pulled away for only a few seconds as he rode through his own orgasm.

I hadn't even noticed that he was getting off to this. I wondered if it was hands free as I could feel his hands on my thighs, but I didn't bother checking. I was too deep in pleasure to care. I felt his mouth reattach to my pussy, his lips and tongue continuing their movements. The pressure increased and soon enough I was cumming hard. My back arched and I let out a loud moan as my hips twitched.

I panted heavily as my orgasm faded. I never felt something that good. Draco gazed over at me as I tried to catch my breath. "That was fun." he commented, zipping his pants back up.

"For you it was, but for me it was amazing." I said as I tried to sit up, but failed from being too tired. Draco chuckled and laid next to me. "I hope it was amazing for you." he said, smiling. I smiled and fixed my clothes and put my panties back on. I snuggled up to Draco and rested my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me, both of us relaxing for the rest of the evening and thankfully with no interruptions when the spells were removed.

 **\- -Sunday, March 8, 1998- -**

"I DON'T KNOW OK?! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" snapped Draco, making me and the other students jump. Draco has been under intense stress from the school year we've had and it was straining our relationship as he kept yelling at me whenever I attempted to ask what was wrong. I started leaving him alone to avoid causing him anymore stress, but this made sleeping in bed together more uncomfortable.

My friends took notice of this as I had started keeping my distance from Draco and hardly speaking to him. I talked to them about it, but they didn't know what to do either.

I sighed softly and continued my studying, biting into a gala apple. I licked the juice from my lips as I read some text in the Charms book. An unknown amount of time passed as I studied, but I was taken out of my focus by Midna shaking my shoulder urgently. "Raven, you need to take a break. You've been studying for three hours." she said.

With a nod, I got up and stretched my stiff muscles, my joints popping. I grabbed my stuff and walked over to the end table where I kept my school work and put them away and sat on the edge of the bed, stretching again and yawning. Midna walked over to me and sat down. "Have you seen Draco today Raven?" she asked.

"Only for a bit. After he snapped at us, I just went back to studying and didn't pay any attention to what he was doing." I answered, sighing softly. She frowned, looking in the direction of the exit. "What if he left to walk? The Carrows or the Slytherins might go after him." she fretted.

"I'll go look for him." I said and got up. "Be careful Raven." she said.

"I'll try." I said, leaving the Room.

It was scary wandering the halls alone. The Carrows would be overjoyed to see me with no one around and I couldn't help the shudder that washed over me as I walked. There were a few other students, but they were quiet and had bruises and cuts from the horrible punishments.

As I walked around, an arm suddenly grabbed me and a hand covered my mouth to keep me from screaming as I pulled into a abandoned classroom. I struggled in the person's grip and felt them tighten their grip. "Raven, stop the struggling, I'm not going to hurt you!" hissed Draco quietly. I stopped squirming in an instant and he let me go. "What the bloody hell are you doing out there by yourself?" he fumed.

"I was looking for you! Why the hell were _you_ out there by yourself?" I rebuked, my hands landing on my hips.

He narrowed his eyes. "I've been under a lot of stress in case you didn't notice." he glowered.

"Oh, you think I didn't notice?" I snapped. "I did notice and gave you space as you clearly didn't want to be bothered. Not to mention that you snapped at me for even trying to ask what's bothering you in the first place!"

"Well maybe you shouldn't bother talking to me at all." he scolded, his voice low.

 _ **SLAP!**_

Draco's head snapped to the right when my hand made contact with his cheek. I was fuming, my eyes bright green from magic surging through me in response to my anger, but tears were threatening to fall from the pain I felt when he said that. "Draco Malfoy, do not say such things! I just wanted to see if you were alright and try to help you feel less stressed. What did I do wrong?" I asked.

He looked at me before tears brimmed in his eyes and he closed them for a moment and took a deep breath before opening them again. "I'm so sorry for snapping at you. The stress has been too much for me to handle." he whispered, wiping away the tears even though more kept falling.

My anger slowly faded as he cried silently. It hurts to see him cry. I stepped closer and hugged him, resting my head on Draco's chest. He stiffened for a few seconds at the sudden contact and then relaxed, his arms wrapping around me and his chin resting on top of my head.

I could feel my hair getting wet from his tears, but I didn't care. All I cared about was helping Draco feel better. It didn't take long before he pulled away and looked down at me, a few tears still falling, but not nearly as much as before. I reached up and wiped away the tears with my thumb. "Are you feeling any better?" I asked softly.

"A little." he mumbled, looking down at me. "Is there any way I can help you feel less stressed?"

He only shrugged. I sighed and put my hands on my hips. "Well, do you want to go back to the Room and talk? This classroom is too dusty to continue talking in." I asked. He shrugged again. "We'll just go back anyway since you are unsure." I said and grabbed his wrist, leading him out of the abandoned classroom, but looked around to see if it was clear first before walking down the hallway.

Draco moved his wrist around until his hand was holding my own. It took a bit to get back to the Room, but once we entered, we went straight to his bed and talked for the rest of the day. He vented to me for hours, at times breaking into tears until he no longer could cry. I comforted him each time, helping him out.

Late into the night, Draco and I went off topic and just talked until I fell asleep without even realizing I had. Draco soon noticed and pulled me into his arms, falling asleep as well. Midna had noticed in the middle of the night and smiled.

 **\- -Sunday, April 12, 1998- -**

Draco and I were on the train to meet my parents at Platform 9 3/4 for the Easter Holidays. We'd be staying for a few days and we were looking forward to it. We were only a few hours away from arriving and I was getting excited. Too bad we didn't think about sitting with the others. We sat in a compartment by ourselves just having a casual conversation. It was nice to relax and laugh and forget about the war for a few hours.

Soon enough the train would be arriving at the Platform in two hours, but to our confusion, the train suddenly halted. Draco and I got up and looked out of the compartment, as were many others. Two pillars of black smoke landed in the train, just a few compartments away from ours. Draco grabbed me and practically slammed the compartment door shut. He had his wand out and a terrible sense of dread hit me and I too pulled out my wand.

 _ **Silence. . .**_

 _ **Footsteps approaching our compartment. . .**_

Draco shakily raised his wand at the compartment door, keeping me behind him. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

 _ **The sound of the door sliding open and a nasty chuckle. . . Death Eater. . .**_

Draco yelled a spell, but his wand was knocked out of his hand and he was blasted with a Stupefy spell and fell to the floor unconscious. My instincts kicked in and I began fighting back with the force of a Mancer, spells fired left and right in the compartment, but another Death Eater fired a spell at me, knocking my wand out and I was hit in the head, falling to the floor with Draco.

 _ **Our wands were left behind in the train. . .**_

 **\- -Three hours later- -**

I woke up in a cold cell on the damp, stone floor. My head was pounding and I was shaking from the cold. Looking around I saw that the cell was filthy. The floor was wet and rough with rocks and pebbles littering it. Moss and what looked like mold or mildew growing in various areas. The smell was musky and cold, like a wet cave. There was a hole in the corner, from which a foul odor came from, it was a cell toilet.

Shuddering in disgust, I shakily stood up and walked to the dirty and rusted iron bars. There were other cells, but it seemed silent. "Hello?" I called, hoping for an answer, but didn't get one. I sighed, leaving the spot and sat down in a corner, hugging my knees.

 _Where am I? Will I ever escape? Where is Draco?_

So many thoughts went through my head. I felt for my wand, but I then remembered that it was knocked out of my hand and was likely on the train. I was helpless and I was still learning how to do wandless magic. I knew only a small amount of combative fighting, but it was useless in magic fights. Tears formed at the mere realization that I might be stuck here forever. Tears began to fall at the thought of Draco actually being dead somewhere.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when a door creaked open.

 **\- -At Mancer Manor- -**

 **\- -Leo's POV- -**

My entire body froze at the news when Mother and Father came back without Raven and Draco at their sides. Mother was distraught and crying, Father was as white as a ghost. "Leo, get your brother and Narcissa. Raven and Draco were kidnapped on the train." he ordered.

I left the Drawing Room without an answer in a full on sprint. Crow's room was the closest and arrived there first. I threw open the door without knocking. "Crow, come, now! Help me get Narcissa as she must hear this!" I demanded. He looked at me and got up in an instant. We ran straight to the room Narcissa was in and he knocked on her door.

She answered, looking fairly annoyed. "Yes?" she asked.

"We need you to come with us to the Drawing Room immediately. It's an emergency!" I explained, shifting side to side anxiously.

Narcissa's expression turned to worry and she followed us to the Drawing Room, where all of the Mancers now stood. Mother was still crying. Father was talking to Grandfather and Great Grandfather while rubbing Mother's back in circles.

I cleared my throat, looking at Father. He turned his head and stood up, walking over to Narcissa. Narcissa stood in place as he told her the bad news. "Narcissa, Draco has been kidnapped on the train, along with Raven."

She gasped loudly, covering her mouth, tears filling her eyes. I closed my eyes as tears threatened to fall, letting out a shaky breath. It was a terrible thing to hear. All I could hope for was Raven and Draco's safety and hope for their safe return. Raven was my little sister and I would give my life to protect her at all costs.

I called for Pinky quietly, the small house elf appeared in front of me. "What does Master Leo request of Pinky, sir?" she asked.

"Pinky, Raven and Draco were kidnapped. Please, search everywhere for them. Get Draco's former house elf Dippy from Hogwarts. If you search in any buildings, try to stay hidden and be as quiet as possible. If you find Draco and Raven, take them here immediately." I ordered.

Pinky nodded fast and disappeared with a crack. I could only hope that they could be found.

Father cleared his throat loudly to get our attention. "I am sure you are wondering why I called you over. There has been a kidnapping on the Hogwarts Express." Many gasped at this. "Raven and Draco were on their way over here when Death Eaters forced the train to stop and invaded the train. Many students could hear the fight in the compartment Raven and Draco were in and the fight apparently was mostly done by Raven."

I glanced over at Crow, he had a tear running down his cheek. I heard my Aunt Lucinda whisper something to herself as Father talked. "Where ever they are right now, they are defenseless as their wands were found on the train." explained Father as he pulled out two wands. My eyes went wide and my chest tightened in horror.

I heard a choked sob from Crow. Many of our family members had mixed emotions, but the most noticeable was worry and sadness. A few tears fell down my face as Father began planning what we would do to save them.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Back at the cell- -**

I crammed myself into the corner in fear as someone approached my cell. A quiet whimper escaped as he unlocked the cell door and walked in, he was the Death Eater I fought on the train. He grinned maliciously and walked towards me. I ran over to the other side and he followed, pulling his wand out. The cell door was only a few feet away, I slowly inched towards it before bolting.

With a angered yell, the Death Eater ran after me. I dodged a few fired spells, but another Death Eater came in and shot me with a Stupefy and I fell over painfully as my hands were tied behind my back with rope. I gasped in pain as I was grabbed by the back of my shirt and forced to stand up. "The Dark Lord would like to speak with you." he hissed and dragged me out of the room.

We went up a couple staircases and entered what looked like the Drawing Room. There was a long table where multiple people sat, one was Lucius and the other must have been Bellatrix. A harsh shiver ran down my spine when I saw red eyes looking directly at me. The Dark Lord was terrifying and I quickly averted my eyes to the floor, tears forming in fear. I then realized that I was in Malfoy Manor as Draco had said that Bellatrix resided here.

Another harsh shiver ran down my spine when the Dark Lord spoke. "Ahh, our guest has arrived. So nice of you to join us, Raven." he said in a low voice and stood up. My breathing became fast and uneven as he walked towards me, his red eyes piercing through me. My heart was pounding and it felt like it would burst through my ribs at any moment. I hadn't even noticed that the Death Eater had let go of me.

He stared at me with a cold glare. "So you are the one who placed the infamous Protection Spell on Draco. Tell me, are you a Scarlett like everyone tells me?" he asked harshly. I nodded shakily, swallowing the lump in my throat. He raked my cheek with his jagged nails, making me shudder in discomfort.

"Now why did you place such a spell on Draco?" he asked in a silky tone. I swallowed, hesitating to answer, big mistake, he slapped me, making me fall to the floor. "ANSWER ME!" he roared.

I sat up quickly, holding back my tears and I bravely looked the Dark Lord in the eyes. "Because he never wanted to become a Death Eater. I knew I could help him by placing the Protection Spell on him. I love him and seeing him suffer a future he never wanted hurt." I answered. Many of the Death Eaters laughed, Bellatrix gagged and Lucius looked furious and disgusted.

The Dark Lord chuckled darkly. "You love him? Then you won't have any problem removing the spell to save his life?" he said as the doors swung open. I looked up and gasped in horror as a Death Eater came in holding Draco by the back of his neck. He had his hands tied behind his back and around his upper arms. He was covered in dark purple bruises and blood, his hair was dirty and messy, his clothes were torn in various spots and had blood stains. He had a split lip that was bleeding.

Draco looked down at me with fear in his eyes. "R-Raven.." he choked out, his voice raspy, as though he had been screaming. The tears I was holding back fell freely down my cheeks, leaving tear tracks. "Draco.." I responded, looking at him.

The Death Eater walked towards me and threw Draco at me. He fell down onto me, our bodies colliding and our heads nearly hitting. Both of us yelped at the impact and Draco slid down next to me, both of us facing the Dark Lord. "Go on Raven, remove that dreadful spell you put on Draco." he directed, staring down at me. "You want him to live don't you?"

I let out a choked sob and shook my head. "E-even if I could do it w-wandlessly or had my w-wand, it w-wouldn't be possible a-as the P-Protection Spell c-can't be removed." I said as tears fell. Draco's eyes widened and the color from his face drained.

The Dark Lord glared at me and walked towards me. I let out a strangled cry when his cold hand wrapped around my throat tightly and I was lifted up, my feet hovering a foot above the floor. Draco shot back a few feet in fear. "So your precious _boyfriend_ will die because of you." he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. I shook my head, gasping from being deprived of oxygen.

I was thrown back onto the ground hard. I cried out in pain and scrambled towards Draco as quickly as I could. I sat in front of him protectively, refusing to move. The Dark Lord aimed his wand at me. "Move now!" he hissed.

I shook my head, I'd rather die protecting Draco. I knew this would end badly. _"CRUCIO!"_ he yelled and I screamed as a white hot pain hit every nerve ending in my body. My body jerked around violently as my screams grew louder. The pain ended after what felt like hours, my body went limp and my throat was raw and sore from screaming.

My vision was blurry as I laid on my side weakly. I could hear Draco sobbing behind me as he was threatened by the Dark Lord. I could barely register what was happening as my mind was fuzzy from the pain. I barely flinched when I heard Draco scream in pain as _"_ _Crucio!"_ was shouted. I felt Draco's legs hit me as he jerked around in pain.

I tried to sit up, but it was impossible. The curse had weakened me too much. I just wanted to escape, but even if I had my wand, fighting the Dark Lord would prove fatal, even if I could stall him long enough to escape.

Draco's screams stopped. I turned my head and our eyes locked. He was sobbing harder than before and much louder too. I rested my forehead against Draco's, tears falling down my face. We barely had time to react when a Death Eater yanked us into a sitting position, but we could barely sit up as it is and we both leaned against each other, our sides pressed together.

I heard Bellatrix laugh nastily as we struggled to stay in a sitting position. The Dark Lord circled us, planning on what he'd do next before killing us. My head snapped over to the left when two loud cracks were heard and there was a sudden fight going on.

My house elf Pinky was here and she was causing a distraction. Dippy got to us and he placed his hands on our shoulders and without even saying a word, we were apparated out of Malfoy Manor with a loud crack.

The moment we landed in Mancer Manor, a huge wave of relief and exhaustion hit Draco and I. I heard another loud crack and saw Pinky. She left to get my family while Dippy tended to us. We barely noticed them coming to us as were both on the verge of passing out.

For the next few hours, my family took care of us. Treating our injuries and letting us rest until we could talk with ease. When we did get the energy to talk, we both explained what had happened. Hearing Draco explain what happened to him frightened me. He was beaten brutally as commanded by Lucius for not getting the Dark Mark. He wasn't disowned, which came to me as a shock.

These next few days consisted of having nightmares at night, which were terrifying as one or both of us would wake up crying. We did make it back to Hogwarts when it was time to go, but we nearly had a panic attack going on and had to sit with some other students to keep calm.

The rest of the month was difficult. Draco and I struggled a lot, the Daily Prophet had announced that Malfoy Manor was destroyed by a powerful explosion and the damage was irreversible. And then on Thursday, April 30, 1998, Lilia's identity was revealed by accident and it became hell. On Saturday, May 2, 1998, we got the biggest surprise while in the Room of Requirement. . .

((Fun fact: the capture in April was in fact pre-written as a draft in Dec. 2018 when this fanfic was in it's early stages. I just had to rewrite it heavily so it corresponded to the plot.))

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	14. Chapter 14

((The Battle of Hogwarts has finally come. Book quotes are in this chapter so my writing may seem slightly different and book scenes that will be modified to fit with Raven's POV and some are modified to fit in with the plot.))

((Enjoy the big chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 14: The Battle of Hogwarts- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Friday, May 1, 1998- -**

Neville had left through the portrait that led to Hog's Head. Draco and I were unsure why, but we just waited for him to come back. Lilia sat with us, still nervous as ever since having her identity revealed. Everyone in here though were happy and surprised to know that she managed to sneak in at the beginning of the school year.

I stared at the many different hangings in the Room. All them were the colors of the respective Hogwarts Houses. I loved seeing them, but they didn't appear until a few weeks ago. Our beds had the House colors as well, along with the sofas and loveseats.

Draco had me sitting in his lap as we sat on the Slytherin loveseat. Lilia smiled at the two of us and we smiled back. Opal, Pearl and Midna were nearby and talking to Dean and Seamus. The tension in here was higher than normal and I was beginning to feel uneasy. The clock began dinging, indicating that it was now midnight.

 **\- -Saturday, May 2, 1998- -**

All of the sudden the portrait Neville went through opened and Neville wasn't alone, three people arrived. All of us got up instantly upon seeing them: Harry, Ron and Hermione. I could hear many screaming and yelling, "HARRY!" "It's Potter, it's POTTER!" "Ron!" _"Hermione!"_

Harry looked confused, but soon he and his friends were engulfed in a group hug. I giggled as they did this and Draco was grinning. Neville then spoke up, "Okay, okay, calm down!" he called. The others backed away from Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Harry looked around before asking, "Where are we?"

"In the Room of Requirement, of course. It's been here since the beginning of the school year. Raven and Malfoy have resided here ever since they were kicked out of their own house. Lilia stays here as well, but we didn't know she was here until a few days ago as she had kept her face hidden." said Neville. "The Carrows are relentless and had been chasing us so many have chosen to stay here."

"And the Carrows can't get in?" asked Harry, oblivious about the part mentioning Lilia.

"No. It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here, they can't get at us, the door won't open." Seamus explained and went on about closing the loopholes.

Neville and the others went on about the Room and stuff. Talking about keeping up with Harry on the _Potterwatch_ on the wireless. Apparently Harry had broken into Gringotts and the thing about the dragon was true as well. This caused some applause and cheers.

Seamus asked what Harry was after when Harry suddenly stumbled and swayed in place. Sweat began pouring from his face and Ron had to hold him up. "Are you alright Harry?" asked Neville. "Want to sit down? I expect you're tired, aren't-"

"No." Harry interrupted, looking at Ron and Hermione. "We need to get going." he said.

"What are we going to do then, Harry?" asked Seamus. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" said Harry. "Well, there's something we, Ron, Hermione and I, need to do, and then we'll get out of here."

Draco and I looked at each other and then back to Harry. "What d'you mean, 'get out of here'?" asked Neville.

"We haven't come back to stay. There's something important we need to do." said Harry, rubbing his scar. What was going on?

"What is it?" asked Neville.

Harry went on saying he can't tell us, but we did find out it was about fighting the Dark Lord and that we'd help him. Harry said we didn't understand and that they got to do it alone. When Neville asked why, Harry said it was because Dumbledore left the three, Harry, Ron and Hermione, a job, and they weren't supposed to tell.

"We're his army. Dumbledore's Army. We were all in it together, we've been keeping it going while you three have been off on your own. Raven here even joined in and with her amazing skills in Defence Against the Dark Arts, she was able to teach us. She got a talent for teaching the subject." Neville said, looking in my direction. My face turned dark pink in embarrassment, but I was flattered and I gave him a smile.

Harry was about to say something when the tunnel door opened behind him. It was Luna and Dean. Seamus ran over and hugged Dean. Harry looked at Luna is surprise, asking her what she was doing here. Neville spoke up, pulling out the fake Galleon. "I sent for her. I promised her and Ginny that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows."

"Of course that's what it means." said Luna. "Isn't it, Harry? We're going to fight them out of Hogwarts?"

I sighed softly when Harry said it wasn't what he came for. Ron spoke up, explaining what they're doing will benefit everyone in the end and that it's all about to get rid of the Dark Lord. Neville angrily said to let us help as Lilia walked towards Harry, from behind actually just as Ginny came out, followed by three others, Fred, George and Lee Jordan, Cho Chang followed behind.

Harry turned around and looked at them, but his gaze shifted to Lilia. "Lilia, what are you doing here?" he asked, worry in his voice. "Raven and Draco helped me get here when the school year started. I'll explain when things are calmer." she said.

Harry nodded and then looked annoyed as he saw the fake Galleons held by Cho and a few others. He got in an argument with Neville and the others for a few minutes until Ron said something to him and then he, Ron and Hermione began whispering to each other.

"Okay." Harry called out to us. "There's something we need to find, something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone ever come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

My brows furrowed in thought. I haven't heard of anything that I know of. I looked at Luna when she spoke up. "Well, there's her lost diadem. I told you about it, remember, Harry? The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Daddy's trying to duplicate it."

"When was it lost?" asked Harry.

"Centuries ago, they say." said Cho and she explained that Professor Flitwick says that the diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself. Apparently, people have searched for it with no luck. Ron asked what a diadem is and was told by Terry Boot that it's a kind of crown and how Ravenclaw's had magical properties that would enhance the wisdom of the wearer.

Cho offered to take Harry to the Ravenclaw Common Room to show him what the diadem looks like. Harry said he would go check it out, but when Cho stood up, Ginny had Luna go instead. Neville showed Harry how to get out and they left after getting a warning.

I gazed over at Draco worryingly. "I think it's time for my family to come here." I said. The others looked at me. "What do you mean Raven?"

I looked at them. "Did you know my family were once the Scarletts? They are powerful enough to help defend the school if the moment comes." I explained.

They looked at each other and then back at me with approval. I smiled and pulled out my wand. "How would you all like to meet the the long lost Scarletts, now known as the Mancers?" I said and cast my Patronus, but instead of a rabbit, it was a hawk. My eyes went wide. Draco laughed happily. "Your love for me had changed your Patronus Raven." he quipped.

I smiled and told my Patronus, "Go to my family, tell them to come here now. They can have Pinky and Dippy apparate them here."

My newly formed Patronus squawked and flew off. As we waited, many others arrived. Draco recognized them and told me who they were: Kingsley, Remus Lupin, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinner, Bill and Fleur Weasley, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

They all talked and with multiple loud cracks, my family appeared, every member to be exact. My Mother, Father, two brothers, two uncles and aunts, two cousins, Grandmother and Grandfather and Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother. Their eyes all glowed with immense power. My eyes began to glow as well as I allowed my magic to flow through me more freely. This would allow my defensive spells to be fired with more power.

I spoke to my family, explaining what was going on as Draco stood by, looking rather uneasy with all the green, glowing eyes of my family. When I gazed at him, his eyes were glowing as well, I guess he didn't notice how they glowed a bright silver.

It went silent minutes later and Remus spoke. "Harry, what's happening?" I looked and saw Harry at the entrance of the Room.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school. Snape's run for it. What are you doing here? How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army." Fred explained. Harry suddenly noticed my family. "Who are they and how did they get here?" he asked.

I stepped forward. "Harry, this is my entire family, the Mancers, formally known as the Scarletts. They can help fight this war. We can use our immense strength to fight back." I explained. Harry looked skeptical, but he looked at them and noticed the power that glowed in their eyes and nodded.

"What's first, Harry?" called George. "What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized." Harry said. "We're fighting."

All of us got up with a great roar and we all left to the exit of the Room of Requirement, our wands drawn. Draco and I and the other students went to the Great Hall while my family went with the Order of the Phoenix.

In the Great Hall, Draco and I sat at the Slytherin table, albeit near the edge as to avoid contact with them, Midna sat with us quietly. The students who had been in their respective Common Rooms looked disheveled. The ghosts were here as well and we all had our eyes on Professor McGonagall as she spoke from the raised platform at the top of the Hall.

Behind her were the remaining teachers, my family (which shocked the entire Great Hall when they saw them) and the Order of the Phoenix. "Evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."

I looked at Ernie Macillan when he stood up at the Hufflepuff table and shouted, "And what if we want to stay and fight?"

"If you are of age, you may stay." said Professor McGonagall. Multiple people asked questions like, "What about our things?" and "Where's Professor Snape?".

Professor McGonagall answered them and continued speaking. "We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects-"

She was interrupted by a voice echoing throughout the Hall. I paled greatly, recognizing the voice. Draco pulled me into his arms, he was shaking. The voice was chilling to the bone and very clear.

 _"I know you are preparing to fight."_

 _ **Screams erupted in the hall by the students. . .**_

 _"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."_

 _ **Silence. . . Silence that is too great. . .**_

 _"Give me Harry Potter," said the Dark Lord's voice. "And none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."_

Silence filled the Hall and all eyes were on Harry. I noticed Pansy stand up and point at him with a shaking arm. "But he's there! Potter's _there_! Someone grab him!"

The other three houses, along with Draco, Midna and I stood up and pointed our wands at Pansy. I was giving her a death glare. How dare she do such a thing!

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson." said Professor McGonagall. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow." she looked at Draco, Midna and I, clearly saying that we had to go with. I sent another glare at Pansy as the Slytherins got up and we left. I was fuming with anger and Draco had to grab my hand and squeeze it to calm me down enough to not curse the pug-faced bitch.

As we walked, Draco and I were suddenly grabbed by two people and dragged off somewhere. Both of us struggled, but as soon as we saw that it was Crabbe and Goyle, we knew it would be difficult with their immense strength. We reluctantly walked with them to the floor the Room of Requirement was on.

Goyle cast a Disillusionment Charm on all of us and stood near the entrance of the Room. We watched silently as Harry, Ron and Hermione entered for a few minutes and then left with Ginny and few people I didn't recognize. Harry, Ron and Hermione then reentered after a few moments, Crabbe and Goyle forced us to go in with them.

Quietly, we were forced to go to a spot and the Disillusionment Charm was removed. I began struggling in Crabbe's grip. "Unhand me, you asshole!" I hissed, only to get punched in the mouth by Crabbe. "Shut it you little tramp!" he snarled. I spat out blood and realized that my bottom lip was split badly.

Draco growled angrily and thrashed in Goyle's grip. "Leave my girlfriend alone!" he snarled and got punched in the left eye by Goyle. A black eye quickly began forming as we were held in place. Harry was nearby, muttering to himself. Crabbe and Goyle pulled out their wands, aiming them where Harry was.

"Hold it, Potter." said Crabbe. Harry looked in our direction as Goyle hissed at Draco. "Time to prove you are still a Malfoy, get Potter. Prove that you are still worthy to the Dark Lord."

Draco thrashed again. "I am not on the Dark Lord's side you retards!" he snapped. My eyebrows shot up at the insult. Goyle narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on Draco, making him wince in pain.

Harry held his wand up at Crabbe and Goyle. "Let them go!" he demanded.

"Or what Potter?" Crabbe hissed, pressing his wand to my neck. Draco stomped on Goyle's foot hard, freeing himself and standing by Harry, pulling out his wand and aiming it at Crabbe as Goyle howled in pain.

I felt Crabbe's wand press into my neck harder. I winced in pain, looking at Draco and Harry with wide eyes. "Let her go Crabbe. She didn't do anything to you." Harry said, his eyes on me. Goyle recovered from the pain and aimed his wand at both of them. "She did do something. She kept Draco from following in his father's footsteps and we're trying to put him back in his place."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "I will NOT follow in the footsteps of my _father_. He is a disgrace to the Malfoy name and I refuse to follow that _thing_ you call a leader!" Draco hissed, firing a Stupefy spell at Goyle, knocking him back several feet. He then aimed his wand at Crabbe, stepping forward. "Let go of my girlfriend!" he commanded.

Crabbe stood his ground, keeping his wand pressed to my neck, which has grown more painful. "Come any closer and I will hurt her!" he snarled.

Harry shot a spell at Crabbe, knocking him back and thankfully he let go in the process, freeing me. Draco grabbed my hand and pulled me to him protectively. Crabbe got up and shouted, _"Descendo!"_ while aiming at a fifty foot pile of junk. The top part swayed before falling onto the ground.

Draco urged Harry to go find the diadem before time runs out and Harry left. Goyle came back and fired the Killing Curse at me. I was quick enough to jump away from the bright green light and crashed into a pile of junk. This murder attempt sent Draco into a rage. He practically screamed, _"EXPELLIARMUS!"_ which not only disarmed Goyle, but it also knocked him back forcefully.

I got up from the junk pile and pulled Draco back just as Crabbe grabbed his wand and cast fire, not just any fire, but the Fiendfyre. I screamed in horror and watched as he faltered in place, losing control of the cursed fire. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!" I screamed and ran. Draco ran in a different direction, screaming in fear.

I ran as fast as I could, but the fire soared around in the forms of serpents, chimeras and dragons. A wall of fire blocked my patch and I turned to a different path. The heat was unbearable and sweat poured down my face as I ran. A fire serpent formed in front of me out of nowhere and I screamed in fear and ran in the opposite direction. In the distance above the tall piles of junk, I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione flying away on brooms.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the realization of how close to death I was hit me hard. I heard Draco scream just as Harry and the others suddenly flew past me. Smoke began to fill my lungs, making me cough. I saw Draco get grabbed by Harry and they flew right over me. "HELP!" I screamed and ran towards them. Draco looked back and screamed, "Down there! Get her please!"

Hermione turned around and swooped down, reaching her hand out and I did the same as I ran, she grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the broom. I wrapped my arms around Hermione tightly, sobbing. The smoke made it impossible to see where the exit was, but it soon appeared and we exited the Room. We ended up colliding into a wall and were flung off the brooms.

I rolled on the floor, coughing as fresh air filled my lungs and the smoke was cleared out. Footsteps rushed towards me and I was suddenly engulfed in a tight embrace by Draco. "Oh, thank you! Thank you, Hermione for saving her!" he cried, smiling and hugging me tight.

We jumped in surprise as loud bangs could be heard and shook the castle. Screams was all around us. Draco let go of me, thanked Harry for saving him and we both ran to fight into the war.

We got into another part of the castle and began fighting Death Eaters. I fired powerful spells, effectively injuring or knocking out the Death Eaters. Thanks to the training Draco received, he was as powerful as I was. I blocked spells and dodged many. Explosions were everywhere and some walls or a ceiling would collapse.

Draco would manage a strong enough shield to protect us from the falling debris, but some of it that shot towards us would leave cuts in our skin. Draco almost got blinded by a sharp rock fragment, but it thankfully only sliced his left eyebrow open, most likely going to scar in the process.

A loud explosion shook the ground, making me lose my balance and I fell to the ground with a yelp. My wand fell out of my hand rolled a few feet away. I winced as I sat up, the rocks and pebbles were sharp and cut into my hands and knees when I fell. Looking around, I spotted my wand and grabbed it and stood up.

I saw Draco fighting two Death Eaters and immediately went to his aid, firing a Stupefy at one of them, but they blocked it. I fired a few more spells at the Death Eater and finally knocked the Death Eater down. Draco and I ran near the Great Hall, but before we could there, the ceiling above us fell down, Draco jumped forward to dodge the debris, but I had jumped back.

We were separated by a wall of debris. "Draco!" I called, looking up to see if I climb over it. "Raven!" I heard Draco call back. "Are you okay?" I asked loudly.

"Yes, just a few scratches! Can you get through?" he asked back loudly. "I can try!" I yelled back and began climbing up the rubble. There was a small gap that I couldn't fit through, but I could see Draco. He was looking around frantically. "Draco, up here! I can't get through!" I called.

He looked up and attempted to dig at the pile of rubble. It began to fall down and I could only hope that I could get through. The gap began to widen and I could soon push more rubble out of the way. Draco kept digging and more rubble gave way, some from right under me and I slipped. With a loud yelp, I grabbed onto the gap and scrambled back up. He looked up at me and climbed up, reaching his hand out. It was covered in small cuts from digging at the rubble, but I grabbed his hand anyway and he pulled me to him.

His foot slipped on loose rubble and he fell backwards and hit the hard ground. I fell onto him with a grunt, but got up quickly and held my hand out to help him up. He took it and we were back to fighting. We were soon in a battlefield. Curses flew left and right and both us were engaged in battle. I saw giants wielding the Quidditch hoops as weapons and I swear I saw a couple Dementors.

My eyes glowed with power once again and each spell I cast was done at full force. I saw a flash of green light and jumped, bringing Draco down with me. He was nearly hit by the Killing Curse, something I never want to see happen to him or anyone I care for. Unfortunately, someone else nearby got struck with it and I could only watch as their lifeless body fell to the ground. Draco had seen it too, but he only got up and pulled me with him, snapping me out of the shocked state. I screamed when a giant spider crawled up from out of nowhere. I shot a spell at the creature and it was knocked back.

Another explosion shook the ground and rocks flew out, one piece flew right into me, hitting me right on the forehead, knocking me to the ground. "Raven!" he exclaimed and dropped to his knees. Blood ran down my face from the gash on my forehead. "I-I'm alright Draco. I ain't dying that easily." I reassured him, smiling weakly, but winced when the cut on my lip reopened and bled.

Draco helped me stand up, dodging a curse that flew by him. My head was hurting, but I ignored it and fired a powerful Stupefy at a Death Eater. Despite the Unforgivable Curses being legal now, I just flat out refused to use them. I could hear many Death Eaters shouting the Unforgivables and it made me shudder in fear.

I heard a Death Eater somewhere by me yell, _"Crucio!"_ and I suddenly felt pain erupt on every nerve ending in my body and I fell to the ground, screaming in agony. I do not know how long I was under the curse, but it soon stopped and I groaned, my throat raw from screaming. I felt my bangs being brushed to the side softly and gentle voice telling me that I'd be alright.

I opened my eyes and saw Draco hovering next to me, worry in his silver eyes. He was clutching my wand and his own. I didn't even realize that I had dropped mine. Draco then helped me stand up and led me to a different area. It took me a few minutes to recover before we were attacked again.

An unknown amount of time passed as Draco and I fought. We were already near the Great Hall fighting when a voice echoed through Hogwarts again, making both of us jump. It was the Dark Lord. It was like his voice went through here and the surrounding area.

 _"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish for this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately."_

I looked at Draco, who squeezed my hand that he had grabbed when the Dark Lord's voice had started echoing throughout Hogwarts. The Dark Lord spoke more.

 _"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then the battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."_

Draco and I left the area and walked straight to the Great Hall. It would be dawn in an hour. We've been fighting for hours. Inside it was crowded. Survivors stayed together, the injured were being treated by Madam Pomfrey and a few helpers. Some of the injured were a few of my family members, who had some nasty injuries.

To my shock, and to Draco's shock, standing with the other members of my family was Narcissa, who had a few scrapes on her. Draco and I rushed to them and we were hugged tightly. We talked and mourned the deaths. None of my family was killed, but some people I recognized were dead. Fred Weasley and Lupin were among the few dead. Seeing the injuries some of them had was gruesome and made my stomach churn.

I went over to Madam Pomfrey and got the gash on my head healed and the blood removed. Draco got his eyebrow healed, along with the cuts on his hands and the black eye was healed.

An hour soon passed and all of us jolted when the same cold voice echoed loudly through the grounds.

 _"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."_

Fear overwhelmed me and tears began to run down my cheeks. Everyone was frozen and silent.

 _"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."_

Quiet sobs escaped my lips as tears ran down my face as we all left the castle. What would happen now? Would Draco and I be killed for our actions or will we be spared? So many thoughts went through my head, but they were stopped when we stepped out.

"NO!" screamed McGonagall. She wasn't the only one to say it. Many others said the same thing, many cried, including Lilia. It was a horrible sight, seeing Harry's dead body held by Hagrid. Soon, many began screaming and yelling, but this was cut off by a flash and a loud bang, silencing us.

"SILENCE!" cried the Dark Lord. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

We all watched as Harry's body laid in the grass in front of the Dark Lord. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" yelled Ron. This broke the silence and many began screaming again. This caused the Dark Lord to silence us again with a spell.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," said the Dark lord. "killed while trying to save himself-" he was interrupted by Neville charging at the Dark Lord, only to be hit by a spell and was disarmed. Neville fell to the ground while the Dark Lord threw his wand to the ground.

The Dark Lord said something that I couldn't pick up. Bellatrix laughed and said something as well which led to him to talk to Neville. Something was said and Neville then said loudly, "So what if I am?"

The Dark Lord spoke louder this time, allowing everyone to hear. "You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted. Draco and I cheered with the rest of the D.A. in response.

"Very well." said the Dark Lord, his voice making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan." he said and muttered something, then waved his wand. I heard a window shatter and something flew into the Dark Lord's hand. He shook it and I realized that it was the Sorting Hat.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School." said the Dark Lord. "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they. Neville Longbottom?"

The Dark Lord then raised his wand at Neville, who became rigid, and forced the Sorting Hat onto his head. "Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me." said the Dark Lord and flicked his wand, making the Sorting Hat burst into flames.

Chaos ensued. So much was happening that I couldn't even comprehend it. All I could make out was all of us be forced back into the castle to the Great Hall. Centaurs came in, the door to the kitchens was blasted away and the house elves came out wielding knives and cleavers and attacking the Death Eaters.

Draco stumbled over rubble as we stormed to the Great Hall, his hand tightly holding mine. Both of us fought more Death Eaters, firing curses and hexes, blocking or dodging any fired back. I noticed McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all dueling the Dark Lord at once.

Part of me wanted to help them fight, but I didn't have the time to think about that. Draco and I both heard cackling from behind us. I recognized that insane laughter and knew exactly who that was.

 _Bellatrix Lestrange_

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

My grip on my wand tightened as I locked eyes with my deranged aunt. She was looking at me with severe disappointment and shook her head, tutting at me. "Such a shame my nephew, associating with mudblood loving scum like her?" she berated, circling Raven and I. A low growl rumbled in my throat and I stayed in front of Raven, pointing my wand at Bellatrix. "Don't call her that!" I warned.

"Aww you going to protect her, Draco?" taunted Bellatrix.

"I'll protect her at all costs! I love her!" I snapped, firing a curse at Bellatrix angrily.

She dodged the curse with ease and fired a curse back which I blocked quickly. "How could you love a hideous girl like her? She doesn't uphold our beliefs! She's not in the Sacred Twenty-Eight!"

"Don't you dare insult Raven like that! She is beautiful and the most wonderful witch I had ever met. I'll love her no matter what. Even if she was a Half-blood, Muggleborn, muggle or even a squib, I'd still love her." I retorted, firing a curse at Bellatrix angrily.

"You are a disgrace Draco Lucius Malfoy! You are a filthy blood-traitor! _Avada Kedavra_!" shouted Bellatrix. My body moved on it's own and in less than a second, I had pushed myself onto Raven, both of us falling to the floor. The curse flew right over my head and nearly hit Ginny. Bellatrix merely laughed at the sight.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!" shouted Molly. I got up and helped Raven stand. We aimed our wands at Bellatrix. Raven looked pissed and Molly had this look of fury, it made an unpleasant chill run down my spine. I made a mental note to never get on Molly's bad side.

All three of us dueled Bellatrix, it ended with Molly firing some spell at her and Bellatrix dropped dead.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -**

The Dark Lord noticed Bellatrix die and screamed in fury, causing McGonagall, Slughorn, and Kingsley to be blasted back. I jumped back in shock and looked in their direction. Draco pulled me to him protectively. Before I could even tell Draco that I was fine, people began saying Harry was alive. One even shouted, "HE'S ALIVE!".

Draco and I both watched as Harry and the Dark Lord circled each other. "I don't want anyone else to try to help." Harry said loudly. It was very silent and it only made Harry's voice seem louder. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

The Dark Lord responded and they were soon engaged in a conversation, still circling each other. Harry went on about how he died to save us, why none of the spells the Dark Lord put on us weren't working. Harry even called him by his real name: Tom Riddle.

The Dark Lord went on about how love doesn't work. Saying that it didn't stop him from doing all of this horrible acts. Harry went on saying who Professor Snape really was: A spy for Dumbledore, that he loved Harry's mother to the point that his Patronus was a doe. I couldn't wrap my head around all of this information as they went on and on.

The Dark Lord then began talking about how the Elder Wand was now his as he had killed Professor Snape three hours ago. I heard Draco suck in a breath at those words. Harry then said something shocking. "Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle." was what I heard.

The conversation kept going, the Dark Lord saying the Elder Wand was his because he murdered Professor Snape, but Harry said that it wasn't the case. The conversation soon ended with two yells: _"Avada Kedavra!" "Expelliarmus!"_ A loud bang similar to that of a cannon filled the Hall and the two spells collided, creating golden flames between them. The Elder Wand flew high into the air from the Dark Lord's hand towards Harry, who caught it and the Dark Lord fell to the ground dead.

All of us erupted into loud cheers and cries, many swarming towards Harry to hug him. The war was over at last, it was like a great weight was removed from our shoulders. I couldn't stop smiling and neither could Draco. We could all go on with our lives with no war or dark wizard threatening us.

As the sun rose steadily over Hogwarts, all of us were recovering. Some were mourning the dead, some ate. Draco and I were sitting with my family, Narcissa sat with us. I was exhausted, resting my head on Draco's shoulder, while we held hands. Harry could be seen in the distance with Lilia, both of them hugging, Harry kissing Lilia's head as well. It was a beautiful scene. They could finally be together again. Opal, Pearl, and Midna were alive as well and could be seen talking together at a table.

Turns out that Professor Snape survived. When he was asked, he explained that he kept an antidote to Nagini's venom and some blood-replenishing potions on his person. He used the disillusion charms to stay hidden until the battle ended. It was shocking that he had planned this, but at the same time, it seemed like something he'd plan.

Draco looked down at me and smiled softly. "So with Hogwarts being rebuilt when we all leave for our extended Summer Break, do you plan on coming back to redo your seventh year like I plan to?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course I do. I want my education to be completed properly as I hope to become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher after I graduate. Plus, it'll be nice to have a school year that isn't stressful by non-school related problems."

"Oh, a Professor huh? I was planning the same thing, but with Potions. Since Professor Snape alive, he can train me and he could continue his classes on Defence Against the Dark Arts until we graduate." he said.

I smiled. "If we're lucky, we can work here together for the years to come." Draco grinned and pulled me onto his lap. "Yeah, but I want to do a lot of things with you as well that don't involve working at Hogwarts." he said happily. My smile widened and I nuzzled Draco lovingly.

About an hour later, Harry, Lilia, Opal, Pearl, and Midna all came over to us and we all talked. We all made plans on visiting each other over the Summer Break. Harry said he'd be staying at Lilia's house, but he would love to come see Mancer Manor sometime. Lilia asked if I wanted to visit at her house, to which I agreed as it would be a fun experience, plus Lilia said she'd show me the stuff muggles use in their daily lives. Draco rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

I yawned and stretched, eager for a long nap in my bed at Mancer Manor. I rested my head on Draco's chest and closed my eyes, listening to his heart beat. I nearly fell asleep when Draco woke me up saying he had to pee, quite badly apparently. Groaning tiredly, I slide off his lap and sat down while he left.

He was gone for only a few minutes and came back looking relieved. I giggled sleepily. "Feel better?" I asked, smiling. He nodded and sat down. I sighed softly, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder.

Finally, after waiting for so long, we were able to leave. Pinky and Dippy popped in and apparated Draco and I to Mancer Manor and did the same with the rest of my family. All of us went to our bedrooms to clean up and have a well deserved nap until it was time to eat lunch.

I took a long refreshing shower, with Draco joining me since he decided that waiting for a shower wasn't going to happen. Once we were both clean and wearing comfortable clothes, we took a long nap, both of us falling asleep the moment our heads hit the pillows.

We woke up a few hours later, although we wanted to sleep longer, but lunch was ready so we went to the dining room, where all of my family was there, Narcissa was there as well. There was a huge feast on the table as to celebrate the final defeat of the Dark Lord. Since we were all tired, the feast was moved to lunch instead of dinner. It smelled amazing and I felt my stomach growl at the mere sight of the food.

All of us ate happily, talking about how wonderful it is to no longer have to worry about the war. Leo and Father cracked jokes, making all of us laugh. Thankfully the lunch ended and we all left to go back to sleep longer.

Draco and I were very tired, especially after eating. We both fell back asleep the moment we laid down. The rest of the day went by quickly with us waking up again, talking and eating dinner and then going to sleep again. We were still so tired and we slept the rest of the night. It was the first peaceful night of sleep we've had in a long time.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	15. Chapter 15

((The entire extended Summer Break in one chapter.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 15: Summer Fun- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -May 5, 1998- -**

Draco has surprised me. It's only been three days since the war had ended and he had been busy for the last two days. We barely spoke for the entire day, only speaking when the time to go to bed came. He explained that while he had the chance, he was going to get all of the Dark Artefacts from the destroyed Malfoy Manor confiscated, he had become aware thanks to Dippy that the artefacts survived the destruction.

Draco wants his family name to be restored to it's former glory, but with all of the terrible things removed first. He wants the Malfoy name to be seen in a new light, which means he will be working for most of the summer break so he and I won't be in much contact. He is currently with my father and grandfather working on this whole thing. The window to Father's study was open so I could hear them talking.

Lucius was in Azkaban for his crimes and would there until his death. Narcissa had left our manor as it was now safe and she went to live in a small home. She refused to live with us since we are tolerant to those who aren't Pure-bloods. She did however choose keep in contact with Draco.

I was currently sitting outside in the backyard. There wasn't much for me to do now. I had no ideas for drawing and sitting in my room was boring. It was a nice day so I had decided to wear a tank top and shorts with flats that had ribbon tied around my calves, all of it black naturally. Leo was flying around on his Firebolt to pass the time. I felt the need to go grab my Firebolt and fly around as well. Draco was very jealous last summer when he saw that we owned a few Firebolt broomsticks. He didn't even know that I flew around on one.

Succumbing to my desire, I went over to the broom shed and grabbed mine and flew into the air, enjoying the cool air hitting my face. I flew up to Leo, who looked at me with a challenging glint in his eyes. "Wanna race Raven?" he asked, grinning widely. "Yes! I want to kick your ass again!" I beamed, grinning. Leo laughed and we flew into position.

"Alright, three..two..one..GO!" he shouted and we shot off fast. I shouted happily as we raced, making quick turns. Leo managed to get ahead of me so I leaned forward to pick up speed. We flew right passed Father's study and flew over the pool. I managed to beat Leo and laughed as we hovered above the pool.

Leo folded his arms, glaring at me. "OK, you win Raven. I'll beat you next time." he said. I giggled. "It was fun though." I replied. I could hear laughter coming from Father's study.

Leo flew closer to me, now grinning. "Hey Raven? Think fast!" he said all of the sudden and pushed me off my broom. I shrieked in surprise and fell into the deep end of the pool with a loud splash. I surfaced and spat water from my mouth and wiped the water away from my eyes. "Oh very funny Leo." I called, watching him laugh hysterically.

With a glare, I attempted to splash him, but he just moved himself up a few feet. "Get back here, Leo!" I yelled, swimming to the shallow end and getting out. I was soaked to the bone and I unfortunately left my wand in my bedroom. Leo was looking at me with a smirk. "I am so getting you Leo." I warned, whistling for my Firebolt and hopped on it when it came to me.

I launched after him with great speed and caught him before he could get away. With a loud laugh, I shoved Leo into the pool, only to be grabbed in the process and we both fell in with a yelp and an even louder splash.

Grandfather, Father and Draco all came out upon hearing the ruckus. Leo and I began wrestling in the pool, water splashing around us. I heaved a handful of water onto Leo's face, stunning him. He blinked a few times before splashing me repeatedly, to which I did the same. The wrestling didn't last long as Father cleared his loud quite loudly, making both of us stop and look at him.

"I understand you two are having fun, but you are not properly dressed for swimming. Get out of the pool now and dry off. Oh and try not to fly past my study next time, even if it is amusing to see you both racing." said Father.

"OK, Father." we replied and got out. I went to my bedroom, grabbed my wand and spelled myself dry. My hair was a mess as a result of the fun Leo and I had, so I brushed out my hair until it was silky and smooth again. After doing that, I sat down on my bed and sighed, tilting my head back. I was enjoying the peace that we now had with the war over and all, although with Draco busy, I was bored. I had gotten used to his company so my usual hobbies became less fun.

With a groan, I laid down and rolled around on my bed in some attempt to pass the time. All it did was mess up my hair again and get me light headed. I stared up at the ceiling of my four poster bed and got deep into thought about the new school year and my future afterwards. I didn't even hear Draco step in and say my name a few times before grabbing a pillow and throwing it on my face. "Raven!" he laughed.

I yelped and threw the pillow back at Draco, hitting him on the chest. He laughed and laid down next to me. "What's got you distracted?" he asked, playing with my hair. I shrugged lazily. "Just thinking about the future." I mumbled, adjusting my position to face him.

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Oh and what would that be?" he asked.

"Just about our final school year and what I'll be doing after we graduate." I explained. He grinned amusingly. "Still on that, huh?" he stated and I nodded, looking at him affectionately.

"I've grown used to having you around so I'm not used to having time to myself which in turn leads to a lot of thinking. I do miss talking to you or even cuddling with you since you're busy and all." I said, enjoying the feeling of his fingers running through my hair gently. Draco pulled me into his arms, smiling. "Aww, you missed me." he cooed, making me blush. Draco has been a lot more affectionate than I remember.

The rest of the day mostly consisted of Draco and I talking in bed, then moving to the Drawing Room since laying in bed all day isn't really ideal. We ate a mid-day snack, then later had dinner and enjoyed the rest of the night together.

 **\- -Friday, May 15, 1998- - ((A/N: Warning here, sexual content towards the end of this event.))**

The first thing I woke up to was a pair of warm arms wrapping around my mid-section and quiet hum. I smiled softly and sighed contently. Draco always had me in a bear hug when we slept, but it always made sleeping much more enjoyable. I turned around and met a pair of silver eyes looking at me. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty." he whispered. I giggled at the nickname and yawned. "Morning Draco. What time is it?" I asked.

He shrugged and said, "Probably seven."

I nodded and sat up, stretching. I glanced over at the clock, it was indeed seven o'clock. Draco groaned softly and I heard a few pops as he stretched as well. "Oh, Happy Birthday, Raven." he said. My eyes widened. I had forgotten it was my birthday today. "Thank you, Draco." I said, smiling.

Draco got out of bed and went to the bathroom while I got dressed. I put on a black dress that zips up in the back, of course I couldn't reach the zipper so I have to ask Draco for help when he gets out of the bathroom. While I waited, I put on some sheer black thigh highs and black flats, then brushed my hair since it was a tangled mess.

I heard the bathroom door open and Draco stepped out. I looked at him and stood up. "Hey Draco, can you zip up my dress?" I asked. "Of course Raven." he answered and walked over to me and did so. I smiled and went into the bathroom next. I came out a few minutes later after brushing my teeth and saw that Draco was already dressed for the day.

"Ready to go to the Drawing Room Draco?" I asked, walking over to him. He looked down at me and nodded, placing a kiss to my forehead. "Yep."

Smiling, we both left my bedroom and went straight to the Drawing Room. My family was already there. "Happy Birthday Raven!" they all cheered. I blushed and thanked them, sitting on one of the leather loveseats with Draco. Mother smiled at me and stood up. "So Raven, we will be having a birthday party for you. Everyone will be coming. Your friends were invited and they all agreed to come." she explained.

I grinned excitedly. I knew all of them, except Lilia of course, would be excited to see the manor for the first time. Father now stood. "Well, lets all have breakfast and we can go to the backyard afterwards." he announced.

We all ate breakfast and went outside. It was pleasantly warm, perfect for the party. I went and sat by the pool while Leo and Crow talked. Music began playing, which were mine and Leo's favorite bands. Draco sat with me as I hummed softly to one song. Mother and Father were talking and most likely planning things.

One of my favorite songs began playing and I looked at Draco through the corner of my eye, he was looking ahead. Smirking, I took a deep breath and began singing. Draco's head snapped to my direction, his eyes wide. He has never heard me sing before as I have only ever hummed in his presence. Draco only stared in awe, his eyes shining a bright silver. I hardly noticed his stares until the song ended, then I had noticed. "What?" I asked, smiling.

"I.. I didn't know you could sing. You have a beautiful voice." he said softly, making me blush. "Oh, thank you." I said, scooting closer to Draco. He smiled and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me to his side and he suddenly kissed me firmly. My blush darkened and I kissed him back, a delightful shiver going down my spine.

"Oi, lovebirds! Get a room!" laughed Leo. We both ignored him and got into a pleasant snogging session which barely lasted when Mother snapped at us to stop. "Party pooper." I mumbled and sat in Draco's lap. My lips were still tingling from the kissing. Draco and I both got back into the snogging session, this time it lasted longer, but of course it was stopped again.

"Now is that really appropriate?" inquired Crow. I groaned and broke the kiss. "No, it isn't, but I really do not care at the moment." I dismissed, waving my hand lazily. Crow placed his hands on his hips and raised a dark eyebrow. "Really now?" he eyes focused on Draco. "And I thought _you_ would have more manners than my little sister." Draco rolled his eyes at this.

I scowled and folded my arms. " I am not little." I pouted. Crow laughed, looking at me in amusement. "Oh please Raven. You are only five feet tall. You are technically short."

Draco grinned amusingly. "No wonder your head only reached my shoulders, I am whole foot taller than you are." he teased. I glared playfully. "I will hit you in the family jewels if you keep mentioning that, Draco." I warned, grinning evilly.

His hands shot to his crotch protectively. "I'd like to keep them intact, thank you." he said quickly. I giggled in amusement and looked over where the pool was. Leo was sitting near the deep end with his legs dangling in.

About two hours passed and I heard voices in the manor approaching. I smiled and turned my head and saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lilia, Midna, Opal and Pearl all standing at the backdoor with Mother. They all waved and stepped out, walking over. I stood up, grinning and hugged them all. All them told me happy birthday and we all gathered together and talked. Lilia spotted the pool and ran to it with an excited squeal. "I told you she had a pool!"

I laughed. "Yes, yes, we have a large pool here. I don't think my parents will mind if you all want to go swimming, you just to change into swim clothes first." I informed, putting my hands on my hips.

"Bloody hell Raven, your house is huge." gaped Ron. I chuckled in amusement. "For me, this is a normal size."

Draco snorted quietly. "That's not the only thing that you consider 'normal size'." It took me a few moments to realize what he meant and I gasped in horror and slapped Draco's arm. "Draco Malfoy, shut up!" I shrieked, blushing heavily. He was doubled over in laughter while rubbing the sore spot on his arm.

The girls, except Lilia since she was still by the pool, were blushing and giggling, Ron looking rather disturbed and Harry holding back laughter.

I coughed awkwardly. "So, let's change the subject. Since you are all here, what would you like to do?" I asked.

After a few ideas, we all went about the backyard talking and laughing, Harry and I raced on the Firebolts (Leo let Harry borrow his), we went swimming in the pool for an hour before getting out and changing back into our clothes, although I changed into a different outfit consisting of a black shirt with shorts and thigh highs.

We soon got into a game of Truth or Dare, which quickly got sexual thanks to Midna and Opal. Ron, Harry and Hermione quickly backed out when that happened, although they still watched. I was dared by Lilia to French kiss Draco for a minute and Draco had been dared by Opal to whisper seductive things into my ear that left me blushing and feeling hotter than normal.

When I decided to tell a truth, Midna told me to reveal how many times Draco and I have had sex since getting together. My face burned in embarrassment as I answered. "About four times."

Midna's eyes widened. "Really, I thought it'd be more than that." she gaped. I giggled, my cheeks still red. "Yeah, but it's not really a need for us, even if we both have raging hormones."

Draco snickered softly, which I looked at him questioningly. "And what's so funny to you, Draco?" I inquired, folding my arms.

He snickered more. "Haven't you forgotten what we did on Valenti- mmph!" I quickly slammed my hand over Draco's mouth. "Do not mention that day!" I squealed in embarrassment, shooting an apologetic look to Harry, Hermione and Ron. They nodded at my expression, although Harry seemed a bit flustered by all the sex talk.

Midna though seemed to look more curious and she grinned while Draco attempted to pry my hand off his mouth. "And what is this activity you two did on that day?" she asked.

"We are not answering that!" I stammered, blushing heavily. I yelped when Draco licked my hand and I jerked my hand away."Eww, Draco!" Midna, Opal, and Pearl all laughed at my reaction as I wiped my hand off on Draco's leg, much to his annoyance.

After changing the subject and ending the game, we were all called inside by Father, who said it was time for me to open the presents I got.

I got a silver bracelet with diamond earrings from Draco, a black rose flower crown from Midna, a advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts book from Hermione that I looked forward to reading, a beautiful necklace of the moon with silver stars from Opal and Pearl, and so much more from everyone else.

Mother got me some new makeup, which was only mascara and eyeliner since I still have black eyeshadow and don't need anymore anytime soon. While looking the mascara, I noticed the label say it had a vanilla scent to it so I opened it and sniffed it. "Ohhh, I love the vanilla scent." I beamed. The girls came over to check out the scent.

Draco leaned over my shoulder. "You should try it then." he said. I smirked. "How about I put it on you instead?" I teased. He shot back and shook his head. "No thanks."

Harry snickered. "You sure? You'd look better with it on."

All of us burst out laughing at that and laughed for a good five minutes before calming down. Dinner came and we all had some cake, chocolate cake at that since it was my favorite. While we ate, I dabbed a bit of chocolate frosting on Draco's nose just to mess with him. His nose twitched and he wiped the frosting off with a napkin, shaking his head in amusement.

After all that, we went to the Drawing Room and relaxed for a few hours. All of our friends would be sleeping over so once it was getting late, I showed them to their rooms and bid them goodnight.

The moment my bedroom door was closed, Draco wrapped his arms around my waist and whispered into my ear seductively. "Let me give you pleasure, Raven." he purred, sending shivers down my spine as a wave of arousal hit me.

I nodded and he led me to our bed and laid me down. I slowly undressed. Taking off my shirt and bralette first, then I slid my shorts off, leaving me in just my panties and thigh highs. Draco pulled the socks off slowly, as though he were admiring the reveal inch by inch.

My panties were pulled down next, leaving me completely nude. I stared at Draco for only a moment before laying my head on the bed. Draco climbed onto the bed and hovered over me, his eyes shining silver. I smiled as he leaned in, kissing me gently. I wrapped my arms around him, deepening the kiss.

Draco moaned softly into the kiss and I felt a stronger wave of arousal go through me, spearing me right between the legs. "Mmm, Draco." I moaned softly, breaking the kiss. He looked at me. "Make love to me, Draco." I whispered. He nodded, kissing me and began undressing. He was fully nude in under a minute and he laid down next to me, pulling me to his body.

After another round of kissing passionately, Draco ran his fingers between my legs and rubbed my clit before slipping a finger in me. I gasped softly, my hips twitching. "You're already wet and ready, but I want to pleasure you some more." he whispered softly, slipping another finger into me and moved them. My head tilted back in pleasure and a soft moan escaped my lips.

He smiled and fingered me for over two minutes and then stopped, pulling his fingers out. "Let's get more comfortable on the bed, Raven." he suggested. I sat up and scooted over to the pillows and laid back down, grabbing my wand from the end table and cast the anti-pregnancy spell on myself, feeling the familiar sensation of the spell doing it's work.

Draco crawled over to me, but didn't move. He looked at me with a curious expression. "Would you like to feel me before I enter you?" he asked. My cheeks reddened and I thought for a moment. I have never touched his member before and there were a few moments that I had gotten curious, but never said anything out of nervousness and embarrassment.

I nodded, sitting up and he adjusted his position so that he was sitting up straight. He took my hand gently and guided it to him. My eyes drifted down and my breath hitched when my hand made contact with his erection. It was solid to the touch, but warm and it was pulsating in my palm. I rubbed the underside curiously and felt Draco shudder.

I rubbed more and Draco leaned down, his hand moving between my legs and he began rubbing my clit. I moaned softly, still moving my hand. Soon I saw a bead of precum seep out of the slit and the pulsating increased so I stopped and lowered my hand. He stopped, looking up at me. I smiled softly and laid back down. "Make love to me." I whispered.

This time he got into position, the tip pressing against my entrance before he slid into me gently. Both of us moaned softly as we became one, our bodies as close we could physically get. I still felt a slight burning sensation, but it was not as intense as it was when we made love for the first time nearly a year ago.

With a small nod, Draco began thrusting softly. His hands grabbed my hips unexpectedly and squeezed them. I wrapped my legs around his hips in response, allowing him to go deeper inside of me as I moaned from having my hips grabbed, a personal fantasy of mine. Draco moaned as he slid deeper into me.

Minutes passed as we made love, our moans, though quiet to avoid attracting attention, filled the room. Sweat gathered on Draco's brow, I could feel his hands squeezing my hips harder, sending me closer to reaching my climax as I began rubbing my clit. Draco looked at me, panting. We were close to reaching our orgasms and he only said this to me. "Cum for me, Raven."

Somehow, those four words sent me over and I gasped to him, "I'm cumming!" and my back arched as pleasure surged through my entire body, my hips twitching and my inner walls clamping down on his member, sending him over the edge. He moaned and his seed spilled into me. Our eyes locked as we rode out our orgasms, our mouths open as we moaned. Soon enough, we were panting heavily as the pleasure died down and Draco laid down next to me after pulling out.

We basked in the afterglow and snuggled together until we fell into a deep sleep. This was probably the best birthday I have ever had.

 **\- -Saturday, May 23, 1998- -**

Today was exciting. Lilia was able to convince her parents to let Draco and I come sleep over for a day and I was just buzzing with excitement as Draco and I sat in the Drawing Room. I couldn't keep still as the time for us to leave crept closer, but so slowly. Draco was watching me with an amused look on his face. "Raven, calm down, we'll be leaving in less than an hour." he said, chuckling.

"I can't help it Draco. The time is going by so slowly." I complained, looking at him.

Draco stood up and walked over to me. "Then how about I help the time pass more quickly." he said, wrapping his arms around my waist. I raised an eyebrow questioningly. "And how do you plan on doing that?" I asked. He smirked and his hands suddenly attacked my sides, tickling me. I shrieked in surprise and laughed, squirming. Draco laughed as well, his hands roaming my sides and stomach. I squirmed continuously, falling onto the sofa in the process.

Draco laughed and kept tickling me. "W-why do you a-always t-tickle me?" I laughed, trying to push his hands off of my sides. He smiled and ceased the tickling. "Because I enjoy messing with you and I love hearing you laugh."

I smiled and sat up, breathing heavily. "You're sweet, Draco. You know what's funny?" I asked.

"What?" he asked. "This!" I said and jumped onto him, tickling him back. He let out a surprised yelp and laughed. "Shit, not me!" he cried, laughing. I laughed as well as he wiggled around before falling off the sofa and landed on the floor with a thud, only making him laugh harder. My face felt hot from laughing so much and tears formed in my eyes.

We were laughing so much that Mother heard and came in asking, "What's with all the laughter?" and she saw Draco laying on the floor clutching his stomach in laughter while I sat on the sofa looking at him. Mother smiled and managed to calm us both down, saying that we'll be leaving in about thirty minutes and that we had to get ready very soon.

We nodded and Draco sat back on the sofa. I sighed with a smile and laid down, resting my head on his lap. The time still went by slowly, but soon enough we were leaving the manor and Mother apparated us to Lilia's house. I giggled excitedly and knocked on the door as Mother left us.

After a few moments the door opened and Lilia stood there grinning. "Hey Raven, Draco!" she beamed, letting us inside. I happily entered and followed Lilia to the living room, I noticed Harry was there, drinking tea and sitting on the sofa. I waved at him while Lilia sat down next to him. I could hear voices in the room and looked around in confusion. "Where are those voices coming from?" I asked.

Lilia giggled and pointed to a black box thing that had moving pictures. I looked at it in confusion. "What is that?" I asked, staring at it. The voices were coming from it. "It's a Television." she answered.

"A tele-what?" I said, still confused. I heard Harry chuckle softly and Draco grabbed my hand leading me to the sofa and had me sit with him.

"A television or TV for short. It let's us watch stuff." she said and explained them the best she could, Harry also trying to help us understand. I stared at the TV with curiosity, wondering what was happening. Lilia giggled and waved her hand in front of my face. I looked at her and giggled in embarrassment. "Sorry, I can't help myself when it comes to this kind of stuff."

The next few hours consisted of us watching a movie, a funny one at that. All of us were laughing and enjoying ourselves. Harry and Lilia went and made lunch when the movie ended and after we ate, Lilia played another movie that also funny.

Later, she showed us this weird thing that was called a SNES or Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Even Draco looked curious as she explained video games and the one she'd be playing. It was called Super Mario World. It was very fun to watch her play it. The music was very uplifting and had silly sounds.

Lilia completed a level as it was called and looked over at me. "Would you like to try, Raven?" she asked. Draco snorted quietly, to which I glared at him playfully and nodded to Lilia. She chose a level for me and handed me the controller. It felt weird in my hand. "Ok Raven, here's how you play." she said and explained the controls and helped me through the level. I fumbled with the buttons a lot, but I had fun none the less and played a few more levels.

Harry laughed. "Oh no, Raven is addicted to video games!" he cried dramatically. Draco burst out laughing and said dramatically, "Whatever shall we do?" Lilia and I laughed hard at that. Lilia then decided to end the game to prevent me from playing any longer. We talked for a while and I noticed it was getting dark outside, we barely noticed how it was beginning to get hard to see. "It's getting dark in here." I said. "Crap, hold on guys." Lilia laughed and got up.

"Hey Raven, ready to see some muggle magic?" she asked. I giggled in response and heard two clicks and suddenly the tall pole thing lit up. Draco's eyebrows shot up and my eyes widened. "How did you do that?" I asked, getting up and looking at the thing. She showed me this little knob that twists. "It's called a lamp. It's brighter than candles and lasts longer."

Harry was chuckling quietly as I observed the lamp. Draco got up and grabbed my hand. "C'mon Raven, I think you've done enough staring." he said, chuckling as well. I blushed in embarrassment. I really couldn't help it. Draco himself may have been curious, but he didn't act like me when it came to this stuff, although it would've been funny to see.

All of us continued talking and ate dinner, which Harry had offered to make. It was delicious and I couldn't help but wonder how Harry got such amazing cooking skills. Even Draco looked amazed. It soon got late and Draco and I were shown the guest bedroom for us to sleep in.

She showed us how to turn the ceiling light off and bid us goodnight. Draco and I talked quietly for a little bit. He joked about hoping that we don't hear the bed in their bed hitting the wall. I laughed and slapped Draco's arm for saying that, but he was too busy laughing to notice being slapped.

Once we calmed down, we decided to call it a night and went to bed with Draco holding me in his arms. The next day was fun as well and Draco and I stayed for a few more hours before leaving to go back to my manor.

 **\- -Friday, June 5, 1998- -**

Draco turns eighteen today and like my birthday, we were having a party for him as well. The gift I bought him was going to make his jaw drop and I just knew he'd love it. The party was somewhat similar to mine, although music wasn't played since we didn't have the kind of music Draco liked, not that he minded apparently. My friends didn't come this time because all of them were busy so it was just Draco, Mother, Father, Leo, Crow and I.

It was just after lunch and Draco and I were sitting by the pool since it was warmer now. I was wearing my bikini and had already put on sunscreen as I wanted to swim for a bit. Draco had the same idea and was wearing his swim shorts. I smirked and got into the pool and splashed water on his crotch, making him jump in surprise as the water soaked into the fabric of his shorts. "Raven Mancer, you are going to pay for that!" he warned and jumped into the pool with a evil grin.

I squealed and swam towards the deep end. I watched as Draco swam towards me with surprising speed. I took a deep breath and dived underwater. I swam right under him and resurfaced a few feet away, giggling loudly. He turned around quickly and swam after me, grabbing me before I could even move away.

He wrapped his arms around me and growled playfully. "I got you now, Raven." he said, grinning and pinning me to the end of the pool. "Mmm, maybe a good snogging should make up for what you did." he purred in a delightfully husky voice. I hummed softly and kissed him eagerly.

The snogging session lasted for an unknown amount of time, although my guess would be around eleven minutes before Mother caught us and told us to stop at once and do that in a more private area, such as our bedroom. I giggled and buried my face in Draco's neck, exhaling on a sensitive spot. He shuddered softly and chuckled. "Don't tempt me, Raven."

I giggled again and looked at Draco. "I won't. Maybe we should head inside now. Father will be calling us in so you can open the presents we got you." I suggested, smiling widely. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me, holding me in place. I wrapped my arms around his neck and wrapped my legs around his hips. We got into another snogging session for a bit longer and then went inside when Father called us in.

Draco got many presents. A few potion books, a wand and broom care kit, and some other things. My excitement grew when Draco spotted the broom shape package. His eyes went wide when he saw it was from me and tore the wrapping paper off.

His jaw dropped and his eyes widened even more upon seeing that it was a Firebolt broomstick. "R-Raven..? You.." he stuttered, barely able to find the words. I smiled and scooted over to him. "Do you like it, Draco?" I asked quietly. He only nodded, biting his lower lip.

I spotted small tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. He was grinning widely now and he pulled me into a strong hug, making me squeak in surprise. "Thank you so much, Raven!" he beamed. I wrapped my arms around him, smiling. "You're welcome, Draco."

Draco thanked the others for the presents and immediately wanted to try out his new Firebolt so Leo and I joined him. We grabbed our Firebolts and didn't warn him about how fast he'd shoot off. We got into the air and watched as he kicked off the ground and shot up faster than he expected and cried out surprise, but laughed joyfully and whooped loudly.

Pure and utter joy was on his face as he flew around, doing various tricks and spins while flying at high speeds. My cheeks began to hurt from smiling so much. I watched him fly around for what felt like hours, Draco flew over to me and without a warning, he grabbed me by the front of my shirt and slammed his lips onto mine. I blinked a few times in surprise at the unexpected kiss, but kissed him back, my eyes closing.

The day ended wonderfully and Draco ended up exhausting himself by flying on his Firebolt for so long. I could only giggle when I saw him collapsed in bed, snoring softly and his hair a mess. It was a cute thing to see before going to bed.

 **\- -Wednesday, June 17, 1998- -**

Today had been very hot so again Draco and I went swimming, the only problem was that Draco had forgotten to put sunscreen on and now his shoulders and back were a vivid red from a bad sunburn. I winced at the sight of it as Draco struggled to move his shoulders as he sat down on our bed. "Don't worry, Draco, I'll get the burn paste." I said and went to my dresser and opened a drawer that held various items. I dug around for a minute and found the container and pulled it out.

I walked over to Draco, who was looking at me with a pained look on his face. The sunburn was pretty bad and if it had gotten any worse, he would've been dealing with blisters. I sat down next to him, opened the container and began rubbing the thick orange paste on his shoulders gently, watching his reddened skin turn back it's pale color. His body visibly relaxed as I spread the paste on the rest of the sunburn.

"Feeling better, Draco?" I asked. "Very." he answered. I smiled and rubbed a spot on his lower back and put the burn paste container down. Draco sighed in relief and laid down, his arms spread out. I laid down next to him and grabbed a pillow. He looked at me and raised a pale eyebrow. "And what are you doing with that?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just felt like grabbing it." I said. I was telling the truth, I literally just wanted to grab it. Draco didn't seem to believe that and only smirked. "Are you sure about that?" he asked and grabbed a pillow as well, but hit me in the face with it. I spluttered in shock at Draco's actions and sat up. "Draco Malfoy, you are so dead!"

I lunged at him and tackled him with a war cry. He shrieked, to my amusement as it was rather high in pitch, and hit me repeatedly with the pillow, all while laughing loudly. I could only laugh and pin Draco down to the best of my abilities while being whacked with a pillow. If Draco could act anymore childish, then it would be this and I loved it.

I just hope we have more moments like this.

 **\- -Tuesday, July 7, 1998- -**

A lot has happened since our extended Summer Break started. It was near the evening and dinner had just ended. Draco has gotten a majority of the Dark Artefacts removed from Malfoy Manor and given to the Ministry. Although Aurors questioned him about the artefacts and whether or not he was involved with them and so on, but Draco denied any sort of use, stating that he wouldn't dare use them and stated other things to prove his innocence.

Luckily, he was let off and just had to do paperwork on stuff so he's been busy for the last few weeks. We haven't spoken much or done much together. While I did feel lonely, I understood that Draco wants to make things right so I was just doing what I typically did on my own.

I was currently sitting on my bed with the backdoor to the deck open, letting in the cool summer breeze, making the candles flicker once in a while. I had a goblet of ice cold pumpkin juice on my end table, which I grabbed and took a few gulps from as I read a book contently.

I yawned softly, covering my mouth out of habit. Setting the book down, I got up and changed into my nightgown to relax better and sat back down in bed and continued reading peacefully. Time passed quickly and I was so immersed in the book that I didn't hear the door open or hear Draco walk in.

He snapped his fingers a few times and that made me jump. I looked up at Draco and giggled softly, putting my bookmark in my book and setting it to the side. "Hey Draco. How's progress so far?" I asked. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Slow. Very, very slow." he answered.

"At least there is progress, even if it is slow." I stated. He smiled and kicked off his shoes before sitting on the bed. "Are you doing alright, Raven? I know I haven't been able to spend time with you and I am sorry about that." he said, looking concerned towards me.

"I'm alright, Draco. I understand that you are busy." I said and wrapped my arms around his chest, resting my chin on his shoulder. He smiled and sighed softly. "Why don't we spend a some of time together since I was able to finish some of my work early so I will have a couple days to relax." he suggested. I smiled and nodded, letting go of him and laying down.

He laid down and pulled me into his arms, kissing my forehead. I snuggled into his embrace, his scent filling my nose. Draco smiled down at me, running his fingers through my hair. The rest of the evening was spent snuggling and talking quietly to each other late into the night.

 **\- -Sunday, July 19, 1998- -**

Good god, it was sweltering outside. Draco had changed into his swim shorts in a desperate attempt to keep cool. I was wearing a tank top with shorts, but even that wasn't enough to cool me down. My hand fan did little help as well. With a growl, I shot up from my chair, startling Draco and I stormed to my dresser and pulled out my bikini. "That's it! I am going to the damn pool to cool off! This heat is killing me!" I snapped, quickly undressing. Did I mention that the heat can make me irritable?

Draco watched as I stood completely nude, his cheeks dusted a light pink. I jumped a bit when he wolf whistled at me jokingly. I turned my head to look at him and blew a raspberry and put my bikini on. He laughed and stood up. "I think I will join you in the pool as well." he commented and grabbed the sunscreen, not wanting to suffer the consequences like last time if he forgets to put it on.

After adjusting the bikini skirt, I grabbed a towel for both of us and left our overheated bedroom, walking quickly to get to the pool. Mother, Father, Leo and Crow were all in the pool cooling off and talking. I stepped out and looked at them. "And how long have you all been out here while Draco and I were roasting in my bedroom?" I asked, setting the towels down. Crow looked at his watch. "About three hours."

"You could have told us to join you guys at least." I complained and sat on a chair in the shade. Draco sat next to me and we both put sunscreen on, Draco had to help me put some on spots I couldn't reach and I did the same for him. Once we were done, both of us jumped into the pool, the water was nice and cold and felt amazing.

I swam around happily, enjoying the cool water as everyone talked to each other. Draco was leaning against the ledge of the pool, his head tilted back as he relaxed. I giggled and swam over to him. He was standing in a more shallow part of the pool as it went to his mid section, although for me, it went to the middle of my chest. Being short had it's downsides sometimes.

Draco looked down at me, grinned and pulled me up, our eyes locking. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms snaked around my hips, holding me in place. Giggling softly, I leaned in and kissed him softly. Draco kissed back for only a moment before splashing me. I blew the excess water off my face and glared at Draco, splashing him back.

He laughed, letting go of me in the process and we got into a splash fight, which effectively kept us cooled down and made us laugh. Father and my brothers watched in amusement while Mother shook her head in amusement. Leo went and joined in the splash fight, taking Draco's side so I ended up getting overpowered. I squealed and swam away from them, the water splashing the back of my head.

Even when dinner came, which was outside since the manor was so hot, it was still hot outside so we remained near the pool while eating dinner. I noticed that Draco was drinking a lot of pumpkin juice and I couldn't help but laugh silently at how soon he'd regret drinking so much. We all talked and laughed as we ate, enjoying the evening. I went back to swimming after waiting for a bit to let the food settle in my stomach.

An hour passed and Draco was talking to Crow. I was on the other side of the pool doing my own thing and dove underwater and resurfaced a few moments later. It was beginning to get dark, but it was still fairly warm outside regardless, but Father said it was time to go inside for the night.

I groaned quietly and got out of the pool, grabbing my towel and drying myself off so I wouldn't drip on the floor when I walked inside. Draco did the same and we went to our bedroom to get changed into more comfortable clothing. After entering our bedroom, we began getting out of our swim clothes.

Once my bikini was off, I walked over to my dresser and searched for some clean clothes to wear. It was still so hot in here that I merely grabbed a bralette and panties and put them on, not bothering to wear anything else and laid down in bed. Draco joined me after putting on boxer briefs and we engaged in a short conversation while waiting for the damn room to cool off enough to sleep for the night.

Only an hour later, I decided to open the backdoor to the deck to let in the cooler air. I laid back down and sighed, looking at Draco, who excused himself to the bathroom so I just rolled around in bed for no reason other than to pass the time and wait for the damn room to cool down. Needless to say, it didn't and we had a rough night sleeping.

 **\- -Thursday, August 13, 1998- -**

Draco had finally gotten all of the Dark Artefacts removed from Malfoy Manor. He was relieved, but he now had to cut off the dark deals his father had made and according to Draco, it would take a long time to get things cleared up and with the new school year looming near, he won't have enough time to get it done as it will take more than a few months or even a year or two to completely cut off.

Father was helping Draco out with this and got Narcissa to owl him the few dealers she was aware of. Needless to say, it was a lot. Draco has been going at it for hours now and only managed to get close to cutting off the first of many dealers.

I sighed and knew it was going to be a long time. With Draco busy again, I was spending my alone time reading and drawing, with the occasional walk around the manor to clear my head. Leo would offer to fly around with me on our Firebolts, which was a great way to pass the time quickly. Even Crow joined in so all of us would talk and fly around.

The next two weeks was spent this way until Draco was able to cut off two deals and even got some of the people in these deals caught. Only then did Draco take a break and we spent quite a bit of time together enjoying each other's company.

 **\- -Thursday, August 27, 1998- -**

Rather late for us to go to Diagon Alley for school stuff, but naturally, Draco being busy meant we had to wait first.

Draco and I went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions for school robes. Next, we got new books from Flourish and Blotts since we lost ours during the Battle of Hogwarts, took a while to get them due to a long line. We stopped to have some ice cream since it was mid-afternoon and pleasantly warm outside. I ate some mint chocolate chip ice cream with hot fudge and sprinkles while Draco ate some vanilla ice cream with chopped nuts.

After having that delicious treat, we got some ink and parchment. I bought a new quill that was a beautiful dark green. Draco stated that it brings out my eyes, to which I smiled and had a light blush on my cheeks when we left the shop.

We browsed Diagon Alley after that, talking and Draco pointed out some of the shops he liked. He told me about the trip he had taken with his father to Knockturn Alley the summer before his second year. He got rather protective and warned me to never step foot in that place as I would be putting myself in danger.

I reassured Draco that I wouldn't and stayed close to him when we passed by the area and eventually decided to leave and went back to Mancer Manor to relax for the last few days we had left before going to school for our final year.

((I hope you enjoyed the chapter, school year happens next obviously. Any reviews are appreciated.))


	16. Chapter 16

((The 1998-1999 school year will be short and some months may be skipped.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 16: A New Year- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Tuesday, September 1, 1998- -**

It was finally time for our final school year. Hogwarts was rebuilt and ready for us again. Draco and I had packed last night and had checked to see if we needed anything else. Draco was in the bathroom, combing his hair to it's usual style and I watched as he did this. I couldn't resist giggling at how long he took and the giggling got his attention. "And who said you could giggle?" he teased, grinning.

"No one, but why would I care about that? I questioned, giggling harder. He shook his head in amusement, some of his platinum blonde hair falling out of place. "Draco, let me do you hair, I can get it in place with ease, you know." I stated.

He sighed and handed me the comb, which I took and after he sat down, I began combing his hair into the style he likes within only a few minutes. "There, all done." I beamed. He got up and looked in the mirror. "How are you able to do that so quickly?" he asked.

"Years of practice." I said simply, putting the comb on the countertop in the bathroom. "C'mon, we need to leave in only a few minutes."

He looked at me enviously, to which I giggled at as he said, "You need to teach me how to get my hair done that quickly."

We grabbed our stuff, along with our Firebolts. Draco suggested that I bring mine so that we can fly together at Hogwarts. Despite being able to apparate now, we were still inexperienced with Side-Along Apparition. Thus, it was too risky to do so Father had to Apparate us to the Platform.

Once there, we got on the train and quickly got a compartment, which soon got crowded when our friends entered and joined us. During the trip to Hogwarts, we all got some treats from the trolley and ate while talking. I chugged down one of the bottles of pumpkin juice I bought as talking can really dry out one's throat.

I noticed that Harry had fallen asleep, his head against the window. He looked peaceful, but from what Lilia told me in her letters, Harry has been very depressed and he was very affected by the war. Still mourning the deaths and everything. Lilia said that she had been working on helping him feel peace and stuff and getting him treatment.

As the hours passed, I began to tire and curled up against Draco to sleep. He wrapped an arm around me and I fell asleep while everyone talked and laughed.

Later, I was woken up by Draco, who told me that the train was about to stop. I stretched and yawned. The train stopped only two minutes later and all of us exited the train. As we got near the carriages, I saw the Thestrals for the first time. I felt uneasy, but Draco grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently as we got into the carriage. I smiled at him and rested my head on his shoulder.

The carriage began moving and I was glad we were the only the ones in the carriage. I leaned up and kissed Draco's cheek, giggling when he looked at me. "What? I can't give you kisses?" I asked. He grinned and gave me a quick kiss. "You can kiss me anytime you want." he whispered.

I smiled and after a little bit, the carriages came to a stop and we went into Hogwarts. Everything inside looked just like it did before the Battle happened. I heard high pitched laughter belonging to, ugh, Pansy Parkinson as we walked into the Great Hall and sat at our respective tables.

Not very many Slytherins were around, but the ones that were here are the ones who are neutral or friendly. Most of the aggressive Slytherins are gone to my partial relief, but Pansy was near the aggressive side. Crabbe and Goyle weren't here as they both died in the Room of Requirement from the Fiendfyre. Millicent, Daphne and Blaise were back as well.

Professor McGonagall was now Headmistress and due to that, a different professor was bringing in the first years. I saw Professor Snape and the rest of the professors sitting, Professor Slughorn was still here so Potions would still have him, while Defence Against the Dark Arts would most likely have Professor Snape still.

The Sorting Hat, which was repaired and looking like it was never lit on fire, was placed on the stool and it began singing. The song was more cheerful and all of us clapped when it ended. The first years got sorted and we received a lot of new Slytherins. Headmistress McGonagall spoke a few words and the Welcoming Feast appeared. I happily dug in, my stomach rumbling from not eating for so long.

I didn't talk much, mostly due to eating and drinking down pumpkin juice. Draco talked to a few, including Midna while he ate. Dinner soon ended and Headmistress McGonagall spoke once more.

"With dinner now over, I have a few things to say. First of all, I'd like to welcome back the returning students, including the Seventh Years who chose to return to finish their final year. I expect you all to work hard this year. Now off to bed!" she announced.

((A/N: Probably the lamest speech I have ever written for McGonagall..))

Draco and I were Head Boy and Head Girl, but the Prefects had to be the ones to instruct the first years on everything apparently. All Draco and I had to do was help Prefects and stuff. We did have access to the Prefect's Bathroom, which I was longing to try out for the first time. Draco said it's very luxurious and a great way to relax and bathe while at Hogwarts.

We went to the Slytherin Common Room and let the Prefects do their talking while I went up to the Girl's Dorm to grab my trunk since I'd be sleeping with Draco. Despite the beliefs that the Head students got their own dorms, this isn't the case, we still shared dorms with everyone else. Although, I did like the thought of having my own dorm with Draco.

Midna followed me up to our dorm and we talked for a few minutes. "Sometimes I wish you'd sleep here. Pansy is really annoying and never shuts up about how pissed off she is that she can't have Draco. You'd be able get her quiet."

I looked at Midna in disbelief. "She's still on that topic?" Midna nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "Yeah. All I can hope for is that she complains less this year. She knows that Draco is protective of you and won't hesitate to fight her if she threatens you." she stated.

I smiled at the mention of his protective side. Draco has seen me at my lowest moments which in turn had made him protective. He's also been so affectionate that I always burst into a fit of giggles. "He's a sweetheart and a fierce boyfriend." I said dreamily.

Midna smiled and sat down next to me. "To think that the Draco we see today is not the cowardly Draco I knew back before you arrived. He is far more confident and able to stand up for those he cares about." she said. I nodded and got up, holding my trunk and told her I was going with Draco to the Boy's Dorm.

I left and met Draco in the Common Room, who then took me up to the Boy's Dorm. He quickly chose a bed and expanded the dresser for both of us to use. After unpacking, we both got into our night clothes, brushed our teeth and went to bed. Draco wrapped his arms around me, our bodies pressed together gently and his chin rested on top of my head. I fell asleep quickly thanks to the sound of Draco's heart.

The next few weeks of classes were calm and better than ever. I was thriving in Defence Against the Dark Arts class and Professor Snape was tutoring Draco in potions so that he could become a Potions Master and Potions teacher. Apparently, Professor Snape was giving Draco his own notes on potion making, including his own modified instructions on creating better potions.

I was being tutored as well by Professor Snape as I was planning on becoming the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. According to him, I was to be trained on fighting Dark Creatures properly so it would be a long road ahead for me.

He did tell us though that it may take a few years before I could actually become a professor here, much to my disappointment. Oh well, it'll give me more time to settle and prepare for everything. Draco was most likely going to be able to become a professor after graduating though. Only time will tell.

 **\- -Saturday, October 10, 1998- -**

It was mid-afternoon and the air was cool, the scent of Autumn rich in the air. I was standing outside enjoying the Autumn weather. It was cloudy, but it didn't bother me, it's part of Autumn after all. Leaves of various colors, gold, orange, and red, were falling. A few got in my hair, but I ignored that as I viewed the Black Lake. It was very quiet. The only sounds being the lake water and the occasional breeze.

I shivered softly whenever there was a small breeze. I had forgotten to bring my scarf so I was stuck dealing with a cold neck, not that it bothered me much. I bent down and picked up a few flat rocks and began skipping them on the water, watching the rocks bounce along the water's surface.

Not once did I hear the sound of footsteps approaching me from behind until a pair of arms wrapped around my chest. I nearly jumped out of my skin and let out a shriek before turning my head to see an amused Draco Malfoy grinning at me. "Draco, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" I scolded.

He winced softly and let go of me, frowning. "Sorry Raven. Why aren't you wearing your scarf? Isn't your neck cold?" he asked. I shrugged lazily, turning around to face him. "Forgot to grab it before coming out here."

With a concerned expression, Draco pulled off his Slytherin scarf and wrapped it around my neck. "There, now you won't have a frozen neck."

I smiled at his sweetness and buried my nose into the scarf. It smelled just like him and it gave me a sense of comfort. He seemed to have finally noticed the few oak leaves in my hair and pulled them out. "I did notice that you've been wearing the jewelry I've gotten you." he beamed, wrapping his arms around me again. "Did you think I wouldn't wear them?" I questioned, grinning.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Why don't we head inside. Dinner will be in two hours and I would like to finish any homework we have left so we can relax for the night." he suggested.

I nodded and took his hand and walked back to the castle. Luckily, I had gotten used to all this homework we are being assigned, although it did get bothersome when we'd end up being up late into the night trying to finish it. Once we entered the Common Room, we both got our stuff and spent the day finishing what we had left.

 **\- -Saturday, October 31, 1998- -**

The Halloween Feast was in a few minutes. Harry said he wasn't participating as he wanted to mourn his parents for once as this was the day his parents were killed. I supported him in his decision and said that he has every right to do so. Ron had looked shocked at Harry not wanting to go to the feast, but once he knew why, he supported Harry as well.

While Harry went to a private area to mourn, I went with the others to the Great Hall to eat. I sat next to Draco as usual while Midna sat next to me. We all helped ourselves to the food. I grabbed a baked potato, some chicken, a green apple and poured some pumpkin juice and began eating. We all talked and laughed. I took a large bite out of my chicken and was given a mock glare by Draco. "What happened to your manners, Raven?" he scolded, grinning.

I giggled and chewed quickly before swallowing. "What manners?" I asked, giggling. He shook his head in amusement and went back to eating. Midna nudged my arm as I drank my pumpkin juice and asked, "What are you and Draco gonna do after dinner?"

I shrugged, setting my goblet down. "We might just sit together and enjoy each other's company." I speculated. Draco smiled and placed his hand on my hip, pulling me closer. Midna smiled sweetly, biting into a dark red apple. "You two are perfect together. It's a beautiful thing to see."

Once the feast was over, Draco and I went back to the Common Room and sat on one of the leather loveseats by the fireplace. He sat down first and I joined him, our sides touching. His arm snaked around my side, his hand squeezing my midsection. I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes. I felt his head rest on mine and heard him sigh softly.

The sound of the fire crackling and lake water sloshing relaxed both of us to the point that we were almost asleep. Luckily, Midna noticed and got our attention, all while chuckling. I yawned and stretched while Draco rubbed his neck. No doubt it was sore from having it bent at an awkward angle.

We both decided to call it a night and went up to the Boy's Dorm, which thankfully was empty. I got into my night gown and laid down in bed while Draco changed into a pair of green silk pajama pants. He laid down and pulled me into his arms, kissing my head and whispering, "Goodnight." as I fell asleep to his heartbeat.

 **\- -Sunday, November 8, 1998- -**

Dinner had ended not too long ago and I finally had the time to try out the Prefect's Bathroom for the first time. Draco was leading the way to it and would be joining me. Once we got onto the fifth floor, he stopped in front of a door that's the to the left of a statue of Boris the Bewildered and said the current password, "Ocean breeze."

The door opened and he walked inside. I followed behind him and looked around in awe. It was lovely in here. The bathtub looked more like a pool and it had many golden taps on it. There were some steps to get in easily and on the wall behind the bathtub was a large stained glass window with a mermaid on it.

Draco went over to the taps and turned a few on, the water rising quickly. I walked to the edge where the steps were and slipped off my black bathrobe. It fell the to floor softly and quietly. I stepped in, the small splashes getting Draco's attention and he looked up. His cheeks tinted pink and his eyes widened. I smiled and stepped in further, the warm water was relaxing and the bubbles had a nice scent.

I swam over to a spot in the shallower area and sat down. Draco soon joined me and we bathed in peace. Enjoying each other's company, talking about whatever came to mind and laughing at old memories. I moved to sit in front of Draco and he placed a kiss on the top of my head. My lips curled into a small smile, our eyes locking, silver meeting emerald.

He cupped my face and pressed his lips to mine gently. I leaned into the kiss, wrapping my bubble covered arms around his neck. It was sweet and gentle and filled with love. My heart was beating faster as our bodies pressed together. My eyes opened, not even realizing that they had closed as we broke the kiss. My lips were tingling and my cheeks were pink.

Resting my head on his chest, I sighed softly and yawned. Draco wrapped his arms around me. He took notice of how I was actually starting to fall asleep and nudged me awake. We decided to get out before I got too tired to move. We dried off, got dressed and went back to the Common Room and went to bed. I fell asleep instantly while Draco held me in his arms.

 **\- -Saturday, November 14, 1998- -**

The Slytherin vs Gryffindor Quidditch match was starting and I was very excited. With Draco now having a Firebolt, he was saying that he was confident that he'd be able to catch the Snitch. I stood in the stands against the edge and cheered with the other Slytherins when they flew out. Madam Hooch warned about having a clean game and all that and release the Quaffle.

I cheered loudly, watching the chasers fly around quickly and try to get the Quaffle. The two bludgers flew around and tried to hit the players, but were batted away by the beaters. I nearly shrieked when one bludger was aimed at Draco by a Gryffindor beater. He dodged it and flew to a different spot, scanning for the Golden Snitch.

Slytherin scored a few times, but Gryffindor was ahead by twenty points. I kept cheering Slytherin on regardless. At least an hour passed and things were getting boring, I cheered mostly when Slytherin scored a goal. Draco flew down to me and just hovered there. I giggled and leaned forward a bit. "Shouldn't you be higher up looking for the Snitch and not get distracted by my beauty?" I teased.

He rolled his eyes while keeping his eye out for said Snitch, not saying anything, but he was grinning. I tilted my head to the right in curiosity, smiling. He looked at me once again and leaned closer, giving me a quick kiss just as the Snitch appeared by him.

Draco laughed, winked at me and flew after it. My cheeks were tinted pink and hot, but I ignored it. I watched Draco and Harry chase the Golden Snitch on their Firebolts. I cheered Draco on, watching him go slightly farther ahead of Harry, his hand reached out. This went on for nearly ten minutes, which both of them getting ahead of the other repeatedly.

It all came to an end though. Draco pushed himself further and all of us erupted into cheers when Draco caught the Snitch, for the first time winning against Gryffindor. Draco whooped loudly, holding the Snitch in the air, a huge grin on his face. Harry looked shocked, but not angry.

A party was held in the Slytherin Common Room. It's been years since Slytherin had won a match against Gryffindor so I could see why many were so happy. Draco was still grinning and was boasting quite a bit. Typical of him. I was lounging on the leather loveseat as everyone talked. I was suddenly engulfed by a pair of strong arms and the scent of apples and vanilla. "Now why are you sitting here, Raven?" inquired Draco. I shrugged and looked at him. "I'm just relaxing, that's all."

He chuckled softly, pulling me onto his lap. He hummed contently and blew softly into my ear, making me giggle. "That tickles." I squeaked. Draco grinned, moving his fingers to my sides. I gasped softly and mock glared at him. "Don't even think about it, Draco." I hissed. I felt his body shake with quiet laughter and his hands left my sides.

Shaking my head in amusement, I adjusted myself on Draco's lap and rested my head on his chest. The day went by smoothly after the party, which only lasted about three hours. We all talked while eating dinner, laughing as well. It was truly a great day for us.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	17. Chapter 17

((Thank you so much RainaFox for the review. I was so happy seeing it.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 17: Winter Fun and Laughs- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, December 12, 1998- -**

I woke up in the middle of the night freezing and saw that Draco had unintentionally snatched the blanket in his sleep. Shivering, I yanked the blanket free and covered myself with it. Draco woke up, groaned groggily and adjusting the blanket to cover both of us. His arms wrapped around me, our bodies together to retain body heat as we fell back asleep instantly.

We woke up a few hours later, the dungeons were quite cold, even with the fire blazing in the fireplace. I got dressed in my winter outfit: A black long sleeved, knee length dress with thick wool tights and boots with a fur trim. I grabbed my coat, gloves, earmuffs and scarf as well. Draco was wearing a sweater with pants and winter shoes.

I sat down on the bed and grabbed my hairbrush. My hair was very messy from having part of the blanket covering my head. It took at least ten minutes to detangle and by the time I was done, my arm was tired and sore. Draco looked at me and held his hand out. I smiled and placed my hand on his and he pulled me up. "Let's go eat breakfast." he said and we both left.

Breakfast was wonderful as usual and it was a lot warmer up here than it was in the dungeons. Midna and I talked and Opal and Lilia later joined in the conversation. Once it was over, we all walked in the halls. It had been snowing for a while, everything was white and beautiful. I felt the need to go outside and play in the snow for a good hour.

Of course I couldn't yet though because Draco and I had plans on going to Hogsmead today since it was a Hogsmead weekend. The girls would be joining us at The Three Broomsticks later on so Draco and I put our coats, scarfs and gloves on and left the castle in the direction of Hogsmead, holding each other's hands affectionately.

The thought of going to Honeydukes in Hogsmead and getting lots of sweets and then drinking hot butterbeer in The Three Broomsticks made me smile in excitement as we walked outside, the cold air making my cheeks redden and my breath was visible as I breathed out. I quickly wrapped the scarf over my mouth and nose to prevent my nose from getting runny. Many other's were walking to Hogsmead as well, some talking and some quiet.

Upon arriving at Hogsmead, I quickly went into Honeydukes, Draco following behind. We went our separate ways to browse the candy shop. I got myself a big box of chocolate frogs, a large packet of sugar quills and large bag of jelly slugs. I spotted some lollipops that came in various flavors and grabbed a bag of those as well.

Draco was getting chocolate frogs, sugar quills, chocolate wands and Every Flavor Beans. We both paid for our candy and left the warm candy shop and walked out in the cold street of Hogsmead towards The Three Broomsticks, holding hands once again. I exhaled softly, my breath visible. It was snowing lightly and a few flakes landed in our hair.

Draco opened the door for me and I smiled, going inside. We went to a table and ordered some hot butterbeer to warm ourselves up. Fifteen minutes later and halfway through my first mug, Opal, Lilia and Midna came in and joined us. We drank quite a bit of butterbeer while talking for the next two hours.

With Christmas coming up, we got into the conversation about Christmas shopping and where we'd be staying. Draco and I had chosen to spend our Christmas at Hogwarts since it was our final year and I was curious to see how Hogwarts was decorated. I've been told that Hogwarts was beautiful during Christmas and there was a huge dinner on said day.

After finishing our drinks and paying, all of us left The Three Broomsticks. It was mid-afternoon now so we were heading back to the castle. The snow was still falling lightly as we walked. By the time we got to the castle, I felt something cold hit the back of my head and a giggle behind me. Feeling the spot with my hand, I realized that it was a snowball.

I turned around to see Midna just as she threw another one at me and hit me square in the face. I spluttered and wiped the snow off. Draco was laughing so hard that he had to put his hands on his knees to support himself. The girls were all laughing as well and I joined in the laughter. I bent down and scooped up some snow, forming it into a snowball and I snuck towards Draco and stood behind him before shoving the snowball down the back of his clothes, causing him to yelp and jump around and the girls to laugh even harder.

"RAVEN!" he yelled, shaking the back of his clothes to get the snow out. I was too busy laughing to hear him or to see him run at me until it was too late. I squealed when he collided into me, knocking me to the ground with him landing on top of me. He was laughing, his arms on either side of my head. "What are you going to do now?" he asked in a low, husky voice.

I shivered softly at his voice and carefully scooped up some more snow. "I don't know." I answered innocently before throwing the snow at his head. The snow landed in his hair and his eyes went wide. "Raven.." he warned before grinning evilly and shoving snow onto my face. I shook my head and blew the snow off my mouth.

With a playful war cry, I grabbed Draco's sides and we began rolling around in the snow laughing and shoving snow onto each other, much to the amusement to the girls. We were covered in snow, shivering and panting heavily. Draco laid next to me in the snow, chuckling. "That was fun." I whispered, turning my head to look at him. He nodded, his hand digging into the snow. My brows furrowed in thought when I noticed this. Was he going to throw more snow at me?

I got my answer partially. He threw the snow at Opal, who yelped when the snow hit her shoulder. Lilia laughed and an all out snowball fight started. Midna, Opal and Lilia all began throwing snow at each other and soon we joined in once we got our energy back.

All of us threw snowballs for god knows how long before we were all too cold and tired to continue and went inside to warm up and get lunch. I ate a hot meal and drank lots of pumpkin juice. After lunch, I sucked on a cherry flavored lollipop while walking in the halls with Draco.

I definitely enjoyed today, but I was not looking forward to going back to the cold dungeons. Far too cold to handle despite Romania being very cold during winter, but at least we had heating there. Oh well, I'll have to wear thicker night clothes and stay close to Draco in bed.

 **\- -Friday, December 25, 1998- -**

Hogwarts was absolutely beautiful. Christmas decorations of all kinds were in the halls and the Great Hall had twelve Christmas trees lined up and have such lovely decorations. A few first year Slytherins and a few older Slytherins (Pansy, Millicent and Blaise) stayed here as well for Christmas.

Harry and his friends stayed, along with some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Draco and I had woken up somewhat cold, but we were snuggled up together so it wasn't as bad. Midna said that the blankets are thick enough to help deal with the cold, but sometimes it can still be a bother. I couldn't agree more and having our Common Room located under the lake doesn't help. Draco and the other Slytherins were more used to it than I was since they have been here longer than me.

Currently, Draco and I were sitting in front of the fireplace for warmth in the Common Room. We had opened our presents only a half an hour ago, but it was still early as breakfast hasn't started and not many were in here yet. I was sitting between Draco's legs with my back and head against his chest and he had his arms wrapped around my midsection. I was feeling sleepy from being held by him and I was starting to fall asleep.

Draco's chest shook for a moment before he shot an arm up and sneezed a few times. That startled me out of my sleepy state. "Bless you." I giggled, craning my head up to look at him. He sniffled and grinned. "Thanks. I might be getting a small cold as I've been congested all morning."

I had a feeling he might. He has been sniffling all morning since we woke up. I got up on my knees and laid the back of my hand on his forehead. He did have a low fever so he definitely had a small cold forming. He chuckled at my concern for his well being. "How am I, Nurse?" he asked teasingly.

I giggled and looked at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Small fever so you definitely are getting a cold. Maybe I could kiss the cold away." I whispered, smiling. He chuckled and shook his head. "You'll catch my cold if you kiss me now." he stated, but I rolled my eyes in amusement. "I don't care about getting a silly old cold." I replied quietly, our eyes locked. Sitting on my knees put me at eye level with him so I didn't have to crane my head up.

He smiled, pressing his lips to mine gently. I kissed him back, smiling softly into the kiss, our lips fitting together so perfectly. For once, we were able to kiss without being stopped. It soon became passionate, which was more risky for me to catch his cold as our tongues made contact and we fell backwards on the floor.

We were unsure how much time had passed before stopping. Any further and it would've heated up. My cheeks were red and hot, as were Draco's. He grinned at me as I laid on top of him. I sat up and adjusted my clothes since they got all messed up and slid onto the floor next to Draco. He sat up as well, his hair a bit messy from laying on the floor.

The other Slytherins were beginning to come down so we quickly readjusted ourselves and sat on the leather loveseat. Midna came down about twelve minutes later and greeted us before going to one of the female Slytherins to chat with. More time passed and we all left to eat breakfast.

All of the House tables were replaced with just one long table. I sat down and began filling my plate with eggs, bacon, toast and sausages with a goblet of pumpkin juice. I was pretty hungry so I ate a lot this time, savoring my meal while talking to Draco and Midna. My eyes wandered around the Great Hall, admiring the beauty of the Christmas decorations. The ceiling was cloudy and snow was falling from it, only adding to the beauty of the Great Hall during this time of year.

Once breakfast ended, I was quite full and feeling sleepy as a result, much to the amusement of Draco and Midna. "You better eat less during lunch so you can have enough room for the Christmas Dinner, Raven." Midna noted, giggling.

"I don't think I can eat lunch." I laughed, leaning against a wall. "I'm so full, I'm actually thinking of taking a nap to let my stomach settle the food."

Draco chuckled in amusement. "Want me to carry you then?" he teased. I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm softly. "I'm not a baby, Draco. I can walk." I said, but he didn't listen and picked me up anyway. I squeaked in surprise as he held me bridal style.

"Damn, you are very light Raven, even after eating so much for breakfast." he commented, grinning like an idiot. Huffing softly, I folded my arms while Midna giggled at the sight of us. I will admit that I liked being held like this by Draco, but I prefer it during a romantic setting. He began walking towards the dungeons, while Midna made comments on how adorable we were together.

I fell asleep after Draco settled on a leather armchair and woke up to him shaking my shoulder. "Why do I need to wake up?" I complained, looking at him groggily.

"One, you've been asleep for over two hours and two, I gotta use the loo." he explained. I sighed, stretched my stiff muscles and yawned and got off his lap. He stood up and left while I took his spot, falling back asleep instantly.

Draco woke me up again and this time I stayed awake. I was no longer feeling full, but I wasn't hungry for an actual meal so I just munched on an apple while talking to Draco. Both of us looked up when a few loud whistles and cheers were heard a few feet away. Harry and Lilia were kissing and above them was a mistletoe.

I smiled at the sight, taking a bite out of my apple. I licked the juice off my lips, pondering on how many mistletoes would be spawning today. I giggled softly in amusement and gazed at Draco for no specific reason. He looked at me, rested his chin on his hand and raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked, smiling. I shrugged, smiling back.

Later, after having yet another snowball fight with Draco, this time with Harry joining in, all of us had some hot chocolate to warm ourselves up. Dinner starts in an hour and I was getting excited for the Christmas Feast. Draco was beginning to sneeze a lot more from his cold so he went to the Hospital Wing to receive some Pepperup Potion from Madam Pomfrey. Why he didn't go there on our way to breakfast earlier is unknown to me.

He later came back with steam coming out of his ears, which amused me greatly. He rose an eyebrow at my giggling and sat down next to me. "See something you like?" he asked. I nodded, giggling louder. "The steam coming out of your ears is amusing to me." I said in amusement. Draco shook his head and smiled.

Dinner finally arrived and I was amazed by the amount of food. At least a hundred turkeys, baked potatoes, thick gravy in boats and lots of cranberry sauce were some of the many foods on the table. I noticed wizard crackers on the table and a few students pulled them, creating several loud bangs and blue smoke surrounding them.

Draco grabbed one and held it to me. "Wanna pull it?" he asked. I nodded and grabbed the other end and pulled. A loud bang followed by blue smoke surrounding us erupted. Once the smoke cleared, I saw a black top hat and a Wizard's Chess set. I grabbed the hat and put it on. "How do I look?" I asked, giggling. He looked at me, rested his chin on his hand and stared for a few seconds in mock thought before laughing. "Ridiculous is the best answer." he replied.

I laughed and put the hat on him. "Then you shall look ridiculous as well." I beamed. He laughed harder and sat down at the table while keeping it on. Smirking, I purposefully knocked it off his head, causing him to lower his head onto the table in laughter. Midna and Lilia were laughing at our antics, Opal was covering her mouth to stifle her giggles, but failed at doing so.

After calming down, all of us began eating. I filled my plate with plenty of food and poured myself some pumpkin juice. The food was delicious and the dessert that came after was even better. There was this Christmas Pudding that Draco told me was very good and had Sickles hidden, to which he ended up getting after biting one.

I got two sickles in mine and was drinking down my pumpkin juice when the girls whistled in my direction. The goblet still at my mouth, I looked at the girls with narrowed eyes showing my confusion. "Girl, look up." said Pearl. Putting my goblet down, I did just that. To my surprise, there was a mistletoe forming above Draco and I.

My cheeks tinted pink while Draco looked at me with a grin. With a shrug, we leaned in and kissed. I wrapped my arms around his neck and his arms snaked around my waist. I could hear whistles around us and a few cheers. We separated, blushing and feeling a lot happier.

The feast ended not too long after and we were all quite full. Draco was quick to decide that he was ready to lay down for the night. I agreed and followed him the Boy's Dorm once we entered the Common Room. It was only us two in the dorm so I just changed in front of the bed rather than on it. I slipped into my nightgown, brushed my teeth and then laid in bed.

Draco was brushing his teeth while I relaxed in bed. I was feeling sleepy despite taking that nap earlier and I just knew I'd sleep well tonight. Draco came in and laid down, letting out a pleased hum. He wrapped his arms around me, kissing my head. I smiled and rested my head on his chest, the sound of his heart beating putting me to sleep. Best Christmas ever.

It was unfortunate that I did end up catching Draco's cold the next day and Draco cared for me while I waited for a Pepperup Potion.

 **\- -Sunday, February 14, 1999- -**

I was surprised to wake up and see that Draco wasn't in bed. Instead there was a bouquet of black roses and some card that had his elegant handwriting. I sat up, stretched and yawned before grabbing the roses happily and smelling them. They had such a nice scent and reminded me of home. Smiling, I opened the card and read the small note he left.

 _Raven,_

 _Meet me in the Common Room when you wake. I want to take you out today for a small date. Happy Valentine's Day. I Love you._

 _Love, Draco_

My heart swelled and a huge grin formed on my face. Draco is such a sweetheart. I got out of bed, dressed into a nice outfit and brushed my teeth before heading to the Common Room. Draco was sitting on a leather armchair staring at the fire crackling in the fireplace. He was wearing his classic black suit as usual. I grinned and snuck up behind him as quietly as I could, intending to spook him.

Just as I was about to grab his shoulders, he turned his head and let out a shout, scaring me. I shrieked and fell backwards onto the floor. My heart was pounding as I stared at Draco, who was laughing very hard. How the hell did he know that I was behind him? I began laughing once the shock wore off and stood up. "Very funny, Draco." I laughed, ruffling his hair purposely.

He glared at me and attempted to fix his hair, but I ran my fingers through the soft blonde locks and he relaxed instantly. I knew just how much he loved it when I did this. Many times, he's fallen asleep with his head in my lap while I did this. A few times, we've switched roles and I'd be the one falling asleep with my head in his lap.

"Soo, you wanted to take me out on a date today?" I asked eagerly, sitting on his lap.

"Yes I do. Just the two of us together for a few hours." he answered, smiling and wrapping his arms around my waist. I smiled and pecked his lips. "Shall we go eat breakfast or do you wanna skip that and go straight to the date?" I asked, staring into his eyes.

"Hmm, we should eat first." he answered. I nodded and got up.

After breakfast ended, both of us walked around the castle since the weather just wasn't good today. The Room of Requirement was out of the question as we weren't sure if it was safe to use after the Fiendfyre incident during the Battle. And it wasn't a Hogsmead weekend. Due to this unfortunate realization, we decided to go stay in his dorm for our date.

Draco sighed, looking disappointed as we entered the dorm and sat down on his bed. "I just wanted this day to be perfect." he muttered, putting his face into his hands. I wrapped my arms around him, resting my chin on his shoulder. "Draco, it's okay. A date can be perfect with us laying right here in bed. Just light a few candles and we can snuggle together."

He looked at me in surprise. "You're not upset?" he gaped. I shook my head, smiling. "Just snuggle me already you handsome man." I purred, laying down. He grinned at the comment and conjured up some candles, lit them and laid down. The dark green hangings closed to maintain privacy in case someone were to walk inside.

I stretched and yawned while Draco got himself comfortable. The moment he took his coat off, I launched at him and grabbed his sides with my hands playfully. A yelp escaped from him and he laughed. "Are you trying to tickle me and failing at it?" he asked amusingly. I laughed and shook my head, pulling him back by a few inches.

"What are you trying to do, Raven?" he asked in amusement. I wrapped my arms around his torso and tried to pull him back, but he didn't budge. I kept trying, his shoulders began to shake with silent laughter. "Come on!" I grunted, pulling on him. I began to laugh, burying my face into his back as I kept trying to pull him back.

Draco began laughing at my antics as I fell backwards from giving up. "You are too funny, Raven." he laughed, turning around to look at me. I smiled, craning my head up to look at him. "Are you made of iron or something? I can't get you to bend backwards or even pull you back." I breathed, gazing at him as he pulled me up and onto his lap.

"No, I'm just really strong." he grinned, wrapping his arms around me. I giggled softly and wraps my arms around him as well. "Let's lay down, maybe do something together in bed." I suggested. He smiled and laid me down. "Hmm, what could we do. Maybe I could make you laugh some more. I love hearing you laugh." he whispered, smiling.

My cheeks tinted pink at the compliment. "You like hearing me laugh?" I asked, looking into his silver eyes. He nodded. "Your laugh is music to my ears and always makes me smile."

I smiled and kissed his cheek. He was such a sweetheart and it was always made me happy. I felt his hand rub the back of my head, his fingers running through my hair gently. I hummed contently, resting my head under his chin and closing my eyes. Some time passed before Draco stopped and held me close, whispering sweet words to me. I began giggling from what he was saying, it was just too sweet.

The hours passed by very quickly. We missed lunch, but it didn't matter to us. We ate a mid-day snack and then ate dinner. Once that was over, it was back to the dorms and Draco was looking at me with desire. A faint blush formed on my cheeks at the look in his eyes. "Feeling naughty, Draco?" I asked teasingly, my cheeks dark pink.

"A little, but I'm not doing anything." he replied, laying down on the bed with his legs hanging off. Giggling, I laid down on my stomach next to him. "Then why are you looking at me with such desire in your eyes?"

He shrugged. "It's been a while since we had sex, but I don't feel like doing anything despite how tempting it is."

"Didn't we have sex on Christmas Eve?" I asked. He nodded. "Hormones still going strong in me."

I giggled and nodded. "That I can agree with." He chuckled in response while I rolled to lay on my side, grabbing a pillow and laying my head on it. Draco smirked and snatched it from under my head. "Hey!" I squealed and grabbed it back before whacking him on the head a few times.

Draco laughed as he got hit, putting his hands up to block the pillow attack. I laughed loudly and managed to smack his face, making him splutter in surprise. "Nice aim." he commented, looking at me with an amused grin. I giggled and fell backwards on the bed, the pillow still in my hand. I felt Draco crawl over to me and lay down, his arm snaking around my midsection and pulling me to him.

With a relaxed sigh, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his company for the rest of the night.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	18. Chapter 18

((I have a new story in the planning stages. It is an alternate version of this story so naturally Raven is present. You can check my profile page to see what's up and what the name of it is, along with my username on Wattpad to find this story on there as well.))

((Anyway, enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 18: Final Months, Graduation and Summer- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, February 20, 1999- -((A/N: Minor sexual content warning in this event.))**

The Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match had ended and Slytherin had won. Draco kept going on and on how this was looking good for our house as it's been years since Slytherin won the House Cup and so on. I finally had enough with his constant talk and shoved him in a mix of annoyance and playfulness. "OK, Draco, I get it! Slytherin hasn't won this much in a long time, now shut it before I make you!" I warned.

He looked at me sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry Raven. I'm really hoping we'll win the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup this year."

"I can see that. You've been all excited since you caught the Snitch today." I stated, folding my arms and smiling. I jumped when I heard a door to a nearby broom cupboard rattle. "What was that?" I asked.

Draco chuckled. "Either a boggart or a couple making out inside of it." I looked at him in confusion, but in interest as well. "Why would anyone make out in a broom cupboard?"

"Because it's very naughty to do." he said huskily. "We should try it."

I gazed at Draco, blushing softly. "Really?" I asked. He looked at me. "Have you never done it before?" I shook my head in response. "Have you forgotten that I was home schooled until transferring here?" I asked. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Without warning, Draco grabbed my hand and began leading me somewhere. I was getting curious of what this would be like if what I am thinking he is doing is correct.

Draco searched around and eventually found a broom cupboard like I had thought. "Mmm, I bet you'll want to do this more often." he purred. I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him down, crushing my lips to his eagerly. He was quick to respond and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me up. My legs wrapped around his hips as we got into a heated snogging session.

I was so focused kissing Draco that I didn't even notice us crashing into the broom cupboard. His hands roamed downwards, groping me. A heavy blush formed on my cheeks as things heated up. Draco broke the kiss and began kissing my neck. I gasped softly, tilting my head to the side to give him better access. My arms slipped under his arms and my hands gripped his shoulders tightly.

Needless to say, we ended up doing a lot more than just kissing in the broom cupboard, and I wanted to do it again.

Hours later, when we were not as, well, tired from the activities, Draco asked if I wanted to go fly outside for a little bit. I quickly agreed and followed him outside, where we grabbed our Firebolts and flew around. I grinned at him and flew past him. he flew after me and we were quick to race each other for a while.

Once it was getting close to dinner, we went back inside and sat by the fireplace. "So, how are things with your Potions training, Draco?" I asked, looking at him.

"It's going well. Professor Snape said that if it keeps going well, I just might be able to become the Potions Professor for the next school year." he answered, smiling. I smiled as well. "That's good to hear."

He looked at me. "What about you, Raven?"

I sighed softly. "I may be waiting a year or two before I can work as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. I need more training, but there's a very small chance that I could start at the same time as you." I said, looking at him.

"Aww, I'll miss you then, Raven." he pouted, pulling me to his side. I giggled at his pouting and laid down, resting my head in his lap. He smiled and brushed my bangs to the side, although they just fell back in place. "Well, you could set up a Floo Network to my manor so that you could come back every night to see me." I suggested.

His expression became thoughtful. "Hmm, well if Headmistress McGonagall allows it then I will, but I'd have to do grading and all that before seeing you." he said, smiling down at me.

I smiled back, closing my eyes as he continued to run his fingers through my hair. My stomach rumbled loudly, my cheeks flushed slightly while Draco chuckled. "Is my little blackbird hungry?" he teased, resting his hand on my flat stomach. I nodded, smiling at the nickname. "Dinner is going to start soon so we can head up to the Great Hall now if you'd like?" he said.

"Alright, I wouldn't mind being early." I said, sitting up and stretching. Draco got up and stretched his back, grunting in discomfort. I looked at him with concern. "Are you alright, Draco?"

He grunted as he stretched again. "Just really stiff. Quidditch can be harsh on the body sometimes." he explained. "Where are you stiff?" I asked.

"Mostly my upper back and arms, why?" he asked, looking at me. I gazed at him, ours eyes locked. "Do you want me to give you a massage after dinner?"

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Umm, sure."he answered, rubbing his left arm stiffly. I looked at him arm curiously and touched it. He hissed softly in pain. "Is that a stiff spot or are you injured?"

"I pulled a muscle during Quidditch today." he said. I frowned and felt the spot carefully, but he winced and jerked his arm away. "Draco, let me see your arm." I instructed. He lifted his sleeve. There was a light bruise and some swelling, but it didn't look too bad thankfully. "Try not to move your arm too much, Draco. It's a pulled muscle like you had said."

He nodded and put the sleeve back down. "Let's get to dinner." he said and I nodded, both of us leaving. Some Slytherins left as well. Draco took my hand and held it, making me smile and a light blush formed on my cheeks. Some students looked at us as we passed them and began whispering to each other. Whatever it was they were saying was none of my concern.

My stomach growled loudly when we entered the Great Hall. I sat down and Draco sat next to me. The other students soon began coming in and food appeared on the table as some continued to enter. Pansy sat across from Draco as usual, but like she has since the beginning of this year, she ignores us, but does give a small glare.

I placed a steak on my plate, along with a baked potato and a small salad and began eating. I sighed softly, thinking of the food I used to have back in Romania, which I still eat at the manor, but I missed the food nonetheless. Draco noticed my thoughtful expression and nudged me. "What's on your mind, Raven?"

"I miss the food back home. Sure we've added the British food to our meals since you're with us now, but the food back in Romania is sooo good." I explained, almost drooling at the thought having Papanași or Sarmale again. I went on and told him the food I used to always ask for as a kid and explained what the food was made of. "Damn, some of that sounds delicious." he said thoughtfully.

"Oh it is. It's funny, despite you living with me and my family, we never had any traditional Romanian food, mostly due to not being there except during the summer. I'll have to tell my family to have that happen more often as I'd love to see what you think of the food." I said, smiling and continuing to eat.

((A/N: I looked up Romanian foods for this, but only mentioned the two. Some of the food there really does look delicious.))

Halfway through my dinner, I heard a clang of silverware and a hiss from Draco. Looking over at him, I saw that he was clutching his left arm in discomfort. "Draco, what happened?" I asked worryingly. "Moved my arm by accident." he said, wincing.

"Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing to get it treated." I suggested, taking a bite out of my salad. He groaned softly and nodded. The food cleared and then dessert appeared. I helped myself to some ice cream and hummed softly, eating only a small amount since I had eaten a lot already.

Once dinner was over, I went with Draco to the Hospital Wing where he got his arm healed. Then we went to the Slytherin Common Room, where we went straight to the Boy's Dorm. "You still stiff Draco?" I asked. "Yeah." he answered, sitting on the bed.

I sat down behind him and began rubbing his shoulders. Fucking hell, he was very stiff. There were knots in his muscles. I rubbed at those spots and got rid of a few knots, Draco moaned softly in response. "That feels good." he purred, his body relaxing. "Why don't you lay on your stomach to relax while I remove these knots in your muscles." He nodded and did so, removing his shirt to allow me better access to his muscles.

It took a bit to relax all of his stiff muscles, but Draco seemed to be in a very good mood once I had finished and even complained when I had stopped. Very amusing, but I was tired and ignored his complaints, laying down to relax. I felt the bed dip to my right from Draco laying down next to me. "I bet you'll sleep well tonight." I said, smiling at him.

He yawned in response. "Let's get into our night clothes and brush our teeth, then we can lay together until we fall asleep." he suggested, sitting up. With a nod, we did that and soon enough I was being held by Draco as we laid in bed. I could feel his warm breath hitting my ear as I fell into a deep sleep.

 **\- -Saturday, May 15, 1999- -**

Damn, nineteen years old already? Where has time gone? I really couldn't believe that time has passed by so quickly. I mean we've already started our N.E.W.T.s exams and we'd soon be graduating from Hogwarts. I don't want to graduate already. Considering that I've arrived at this place when I was sixteen, it was going to be a short time, but I just love this place so much, it'll be hard to leave.

It was a beautiful day outside, perfect for the weekend. Draco, the Golden Trio and the girls were all with me as we sat outside by the Black Lake since lunch had ended. All of us were just hanging out and enjoying the nice weather and a break from our N.E.W.T.s exams. Very tiring stuff, but it'd be worth it.

I crawled over to Draco and sat between his legs, resting my back against his chest. His arms wrapped around me affectionately. "Oh look guys, the squid!" I exclaimed, pointing at the tentacles slapping lazily in the water. The lake looked very inviting to swim in despite that the water was likely still very cold. I'll definitely enjoy swimming at my manor this summer.

I felt Draco's hands rest over my own, our fingers tangling together. Midna noticed and smiled, but what she said was unexpected. "You got big hands, Draco." she commented. I burst out laughing and Draco just looked at her. "Thanks?" he said, confused while gazing at his _big_ hands. I snorted a bit in laughter, causing Draco to laugh.

Admittedly, he did have strong looking hands and he had a firm grip on his wand or in some cases, my sides or hips. It was very unexpected for Midna to say that Draco had big hands, completely unexpected and funny at the same time. Draco grinned at me as I laughed. "Do my _big_ hands amuse you, Raven?" he asked in amusement. I laughed even more, nodding.

His hands snaked to my sides, making me jump and squeal. "How about now?" he asked, grinning wickedly. I squirmed in an attempt to escape, but he had a firm grip on my sides. "You aren't getting away that easily this time." he smirked.

The others were watching in amusement. I laughed again and threw myself backwards onto Draco's chest playfully, knocking him over with me. He yelped and laughed as he fell onto the grass. Everyone was laughing now as I pinned Draco's arms down, "Can't tickle me now, Draco." I giggled, looking at him.

"Careful Raven, he might seek revenge later." warned an amused Opal. Midna nodded in agreement with Opal. Lilia, who was leaning on Harry from behind, was giggling loudly. Draco grinned at me. "Oh, I will Opal." he confirmed and moved his arms with surprising strength. I squeaked and tried to hold his arms down, but he was too strong and freed his arms.

I jumped up and ran away before he could grab me, but Draco was hot on my trail within seconds. I could hear everyone laughing as he chased me around the field. It didn't take long for him to get me. He jumped forward and tackled me, both of us rolling in the grass when we hit the ground, all while laughing.

I shrieked when he began tickling my sides. "Vengeance is bliss!" he chortled, laughing as I squirmed. I tried to grab his hands, but it was no use. Thankfully, Draco knew I can't handle being tickled for very long and stopped only a minute later. I playfully slapped him on the chest. "Oof! No need to play rough, Raven." he chuckled, rubbing his chest.

"You're the one playing rough, Draco. You tackled me to the ground." I stated, laughing. "Touché." he muttered, laying down.

Two hours later passed with us all continuing to talk. I went to the lake and skipped some rocks while sitting down as the others all talked together. Draco and Ron were in an argument over who was the best Quidditch team, much to our amusement. I turned to watch them after getting bored, grinning and giggling at their antics. After a while, it lost it's charm so I picked up a small acorn and threw at Draco, which hit him lightly on the side of his head.

"Who threw that?" he asked irritably, picking up the acorn. I giggled and raised my hand. "Guilty." I confessed. He looked at me for a moment before standing up and walked towards me. He no longer looked irritated, but something in his eyes was telling me that I was going to get it. I could hear the others snickering quietly as he neared me.

He smirked and flicked the acorn at me, hitting me between the eyes. I flinched and shook my head in amusement. "Now why did you throw a nut at me, Raven?" he inquired, putting his hands on his hips. I shrugged. "I just felt like ending that argument you and Ron were having."

Draco raised an eyebrow for a moment as though expecting more details, but then chuckled when I didn't say anything else. "Good, I was getting tired of arguing." he said, grinning and folding his arms.

"Can I sit with you now?" I asked eagerly. He chuckled again. "You can always sit with me, Raven."

Smiling, I followed him back to the others and spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing while Draco let me lean against his side. Harry and Draco were getting along quite well, cracking jokes and having relatively good conversations

Draco and Hermione got along very well after she discovered his talents in studying and they both often hung out in the library reading up on things for their assignments. They gave each other tips on note taking and stuff like that. I'd often join them in studying and it was actually a lot of fun.

Now Draco and Ron were still rather tense at times, but there were moments, like today on who was the best Quidditch team, where they'd get along and have a good laugh. Other times, they'd even play games like Exploding Snap or Wizard's Chess (which he had beaten Ron a few times).

While the Golden Trio has forgiven Draco for most of the things had done to them in the past, they'd still be tense with him regardless for it would be a while before they'd fully forgive him. He did still feel guilty for his actions back then, especially back when he admitted to meaning what he said during his first two years here.

It was clear that it would take a lot of work to help Draco forgive himself, it wasn't healthy for him to put himself down like that.

The rest of the afternoon past by quickly, dinner came and passed and soon enough Draco and I were in the Slytherin Common Room relaxing together. Draco had developed a habit of braiding a portion of my hair at night when we were resting. I was shocked when he did first began doing this a few months ago. I had asked how he knew how to braid hair and he explained that his mother had taught him as a kid. It was very sweet and apparently he used to braid her hair all the time before starting Hogwarts.

Despite feeling relaxed, I knew it wouldn't last long as tomorrow we'd be studying more to continue our N.E.W.T.s exams and those were long. With a sigh, I tilted my head up. "Looking forward to more exams this week, Draco?" I asked. He shook his head. "Not really, but if I'm ever going to become the new Potions professor, then I must get them done. You need to as well if you want to become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Raven." he stressed.

I sighed softly and nodded in agreement. "I know, Draco. At least when these are over, then we can relax a bit more during the evenings. I am looking forward to summer despite not wanting to graduate yet." I said, resting my head against his chest.

Draco frowned and sighed. "Raven, I'm going to be very busy during the summer. I have to reform the Malfoy name and that's going to take a lot of work. Not to mention the more dark businesses I need to cut off from my family name." At the saddened look on my face, he spoke more. "Please understand that I must do this. I will do my best to spend time with you, Raven. I hate having to lessen our quality time together, but it is important that I fix the damage my father had done."

With a small nod, I closed my eyes and sighed. He was right of course and I couldn't interfere with him this summer. I'll have to make some plans then. Leo and I could race on our Firebolts, Mother and I can go shopping for new new clothes. Crow could give me some dueling lessons to keep me up to date. So many things I can do while Draco does what he needs to do. Maybe I'll draw again to pass the time or go swimming.

"Hmm, we should go to the Prefect's Bathroom again sometime." I suggested. We've gone there many times and I've had a few moments where I'd go there by myself. It was relaxing and a great way to clear the mind.

I felt his chest vibrate as he hummed. "That's sounds nice." he purred, sounding relaxed. I smiled and closed my eyes. I intended to close them for only a few minutes, but I ended up falling asleep and Draco didn't want to wake me so he brought me to bed and laid with me until he fell asleep as well.

 **\- -Wednesday, June 30, 1999- -**

Draco and I were with everyone else at the Great Hall awaiting the House Cup before we'd have the End-of-Term Feast. The Hall was decorated in Slytherin banners and all of the Slytherins were beaming, Draco had a huge grin on his face and looked like he was restraining himself from bouncing in his seat, it was very amusing to me, but I was also excited. The Gryffindors looked disappointed and I didn't blame them. They were likely expecting yet another win for the House Cup.

Headmistress McGonagall stood up and began speaking. "Another year has passed. It is now time to award the winning House the House Cup. Fourth place, Hufflepuff with two hundred and ninety six points." Hufflepuff clapped quietly.

"Third place, Ravenclaw with three hundred and ninety four points." Ravenclaw also clapped quietly.

Second place, Gryffindor with four hundred and fifty points." Gryffindor clapped a bit louder.

"Finally, Slytherin with four hundred and ninety nine points." All of Slytherin erupted into cheers, myself included. It was thrilling to experience my first (and sadly last) House Cup win. Draco was beaming and cheering loudly. It made me smile to see him happy.

Once we calmed down from our win, Headmistress McGonagall said a few words and the End-of-Term Feast started, food appearing on the tables. I filled my plate with chicken, potatoes, fries, and a spinach salad and ate happily, savoring my final meal here at Hogwarts. Draco ate a lot as well, like he usually did during these feasts.

As we ate, I purposefully bumped his foot with my own and giggled quietly when he got me back. We soon got into a small game of foot bumping until Draco choked on his food from laughing. He coughed a few times before taking a few breaths. "You alright, Draco?" I asked, concerned. He nodded, rubbing his throat in discomfort. "Y-yeah." he said roughly.

"Drink some pumpkin juice or some water." I advised. He picked up his goblet and drank down his pumpkin juice in only a few large gulps. I giggled through a mouthful of spinach at his look of relief and he gazed at me, raising a blonde eyebrow. Swallowing, I smiled and continued eating. He shook his head, smiling and also continued eating.

Dessert soon came and I happily ate some apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Draco ate some chocolate gâteau. That sweet tooth of his is crazy. I had often wondered why he hasn't gotten any cavities from the amount of chocolate he eats, but the answer was plainly obvious so I stopped wondering.

I savored every bite of the dessert and eventually the feast ended. We all left to our Common Rooms, chatting to each another. Draco and I were very full from the feast, but we stayed in the Common Room for an hour to hang out with all of the friendly Slytherins before retiring for the night in the dorms.

While in the Boy's Dorm, I looked at Draco and giggled softly, pulling out my camera with the intentions of getting a few photos. He looked at me and noticed the camera in my hands. "You're still getting photos?" he asked, pulling his Slytherin vest off. "Yes and I've gotten many so far." I answered, standing up.

Draco rested his hand on the wall, looking at me. I held the camera up. "Smile Draco!" I beamed. He chuckled and gazed down while smiling as I snapped a photo. I laughed and set the camera down. "I can't believe that this is our final night here. Just think, tomorrow we graduate Hogwarts and leave on the boats rather than the carriages." I said, smiling.

((A/N: Go to Wattpad to see the photo that inspired that moment. It will replace this author's note.))

He smiled fondly and sat down, undoing his tie. "It's crazy to think about that, but how do you feel about it? I mean you only got to come here for a shorter amount of time compared to the rest of us." he asked, pulling his tie off and throwing it to the side.

"I'm a little sad that I came here so late as I knew my time would be much shorter. At least I got to know this school enough to feel like I spent seven years here rather than just two, or three in this case." I explained, laying down and sighing contently. I felt him lay down next to me. "I'm glad you came here. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't come and I wouldn't have known what it's like to be in love." he whispered lovingly.

I smiled widely and wrapped my arms around him. "I'm glad I chose to come here. I don't think things would be the same if I had stayed in Romania. I doubt I'd be in a relationship if I was still there."

Draco frowned, holding me close and kissing my head. "If I had survived the war, which I probably would anyway, maybe I would've thought of traveling to Romania and by soon chance, we'd meet there. It could've happened." he whispered, rubbing the back of my head. I giggled softly at the thought, burying my face into his chest. His scent invaded my senses as usual, relaxing me and I began to yawn. The amount of food combined with being held by Draco was definitely going to lead to a good nights sleep.

With a quick trip to the bathroom to brush our teeth and changing into our night clothes, we went to bed for our final night at Hogwarts.

 **\- -Thursday, July 1, 1999- -**

It was time to leave Hogwarts. I stared the castle as we left, admiring it's beauty one final time. Draco and I were going with the rest of the seventh years to the boathouse to get to the train by taking the boats back rather than walking back like everyone else. The walk took a few minutes, but eventually we arrived there and got into the boats. There were extras added for make up for the returning seventh years. Draco and I sat together, Midna and Opal joined in the boat.

The boats began moving automatically once all of us were seated. I still couldn't comprehend this. It felt unreal, like I was dreaming, but at the same time I knew that I wasn't. With a sigh, I rested my head on Draco's shoulder and we began talking. Draco got confirmation from Professor Snape that he'd be the new Potions Professor for the 1999-2000 school year. He said that he'd be around to aid Draco for any reason, but Draco has proven himself to be very skilled in potion making so he wouldn't technically need any aid.

I myself would need another year or two before becoming the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Professor Snape confirmed that I held enough experience, but felt that I needed to be more prepared for fighting Dark creatures. Understandable so I would likely be practicing when I got the chance while staying at the manor.

"Hey, Raven!" called Lilia to my left. I gazed over at her and she waved. I waved back and grinned, sticking my hand into the cool water and splashed it at her. She shrieked when the water got her and splashed me back. I laughed loudly and stuck my tongue out. She shook her head in amusement and told us that she'd join us in whatever compartment we'd be in.

After getting off the boats, all of us got on the train and chose a compartment, where the others joined us just like the beginning of the year so it was crowded again. The train ride was peaceful and we all talked about what we'd do now that we graduated. Draco said he had a lot planned, but wouldn't say what they were, except for the fact that he'd be the Potions Professor and during the summer he'd be clearing his family name and giving it a new light.

I was very curious of what those plans were and gazed at him. "Don't give me that look, Raven. You'll find out eventually." he said, smiling mysteriously. Sighing softly and smiling, I rested myself against his side. We all got some food from the Honeydukes Express, I got a couple bottle of iced pumpkin juice and some chocolate frogs.

Draco got plenty of chocolate frogs, but forgot to get himself a drink. So after eating three he ended up getting very thirsty. I handed him my half empty bottle of pumpkin juice and he drank the rest of it in one go, much to my amusement. "Maybe lay off the sweets for the rest of the train ride, Draco." I suggested, giggling as I opened a new bottle of pumpkin juice.

After a long train ride, we arrived at the Platform and got out, all promising to keep in touch. Draco and I both searched for my Mother and Father and soon found them both waiting. I smiled and ran to them. They both hugged me, congratulating me and Draco for graduating from Hogwarts and then apparated us to Mancer Manor where Draco and I would now be living for years to come.

For now, we begin our first month out of school and tonight we have a large feast in celebration of the graduation. Draco got to try the Romanian food that I told him about a while back and loved the food nearly as much as I did. Leo and Crow talked to us for a while before Draco and I retired for the night and spoke to each other late into the night.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	19. Chapter 19

((I had to cut the last three events of August as this chapter had reached over 11,000 words and while I am amazed by this, I can't edit a chapter that big, maybe in the future I can.))

((Enjoy the big chapter, as all my summer chapters are big apparently.))

 **\- -Chapter 19: A Long Summer- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Monday, July 5, 1999- -**

Draco was right when he told me that he would be busy. Only after taking one day to relax, he was up and working immediately after eating breakfast. At night he'd be exhausted and go straight to bed, of course he'd hold me in his arms since I'd join him in bed. With Draco busy, I was back to my old ways like in Romania.

Just yesterday, Crow revealed that he has girlfriend, her name is Gabriella. Father asked if he'd invite her here sometime and Crow said that he'd invite her to come at some point. Leo also has a girlfriend, but that was revealed a few months ago. I found out from him via a letter while at Hogwarts. Her name is Madeline and she's already visited. I thought it was wonderful that they found love as well.

Breakfast had just ended and Draco was off again after placing a quick kiss to my head. My father went to help him out with some of the work so he'd be occupied as well. My mother and I planned on going out to do a shopping spree today so I went up and wrote a note to Draco, letting him know that I'd be gone until dinner.

Mother and I left and we went to some stores Mother had found while I was at Hogwarts. While there, I browsed around and giggled softly as I found lots of beautiful dresses that were on sale for a great price. A select few were not black, instead those few were either a dark green or dark purple. Some even had accessories that will really go well with my other clothes.

Mother got herself some clothes as well and bought me a few dresses while I bought the stuff I found. The next store had clothes as well, but I went after the shirts, skirts, and socks. That was fun as well. Many hours passed and I ended up missing lunch and got super hungry so we stopped for food and continued shopping after we ate a nice meal.

The next store was makeup. I got myself some mascara, black eyeshadow, eyeliner and plenty of black nail polish. Also bought my favorite face wash as it did so well for my skin. My skin was not too oily or too dry, but washing my face was still needed to help keep myself feeling fresh after wearing eye makeup all day. I don't think I've ever had acne problems either. My hair never got oily and was always soft, although I was a victim of very messy hair in the morning.

Once we got our stuff there, Mother and I decided to go get our nails done and spent the next two hours getting manicures and pedicures. I got my nails painted black as usual and we talked while getting this all done. Over all the entire day was fun, but I was getting hungry again as dinner neared so we left and got back about an hour before dinner would be ready.

I went straight to my room and with a wave of my wand, my new stuff was put away in the correct places while my door closed. I collapsed into bed from minor exhaustion, kicking off my shoes and sighing in relaxation. Such a fun day and I think a nice bath after dinner is in order to relax my sore muscles from walking all day.

A light knock on the door made me snap my head up. "Come in." I called, popping myself up on my elbows to see who it was. To my surprise it was Draco, who stuck his head in for a moment. "Raven? I thought I heard the door close." he said and stepped inside. "I saw your note. Did you have fun?" he asked, walking over and sitting down next to me.

I smiled and nodded. "I did. Mother and I got plenty of stuff." I said cheerfully. "Although, I could use a meal and a nice bath to sooth my sore feet after walking all day."I mumbled, rubbing the bottom of my feet in a vain attempt to sooth them.

Draco smiled, running a hand through his slightly messy hair. "Well, I'll be done with some of the work by dinner so I'll have a little extra time to be with you tonight if you don't fall asleep after having your bath." he teased, nuzzling my side with his fingers.

I squirmed at his touch and giggled, rolling onto my side to trap his hand. "Hey! Release my hand, Raven." he laughed, pretending to struggle pulling his hand out from under me. I pouted and rolled away from him, giggling. "Aren't you still busy, Draco?" I asked, gazing at him.

"Yes, but can't I have a moment with my girlfriend?" he whispered, pulling me to him. I closed my eyes, smiling. "Yes, but I want you to be able to finish whatever work you have before dinner is ready." I said, giving him a quick kiss. He sighed softly and sat up, stretching. "I'll see you at dinner Raven." he said, smiling and leaving the room.

Smiling, I closed my eyes and relaxed until dinner came and left my bedroom to go to the dining room. I heard footsteps from behind me and grinned, recognizing them just moments before a pair of arms wrapped around me and the familiar scent of apples, vanilla and cologne surrounded me. "Hello Draco." I greeted, feeling him rest his chin on the top of my head.

"Hello Raven." he greeted back, his hands resting on my stomach, which rumbled in protest for not eating. "Hungry?" he teased softly. "Very. Let's get to the dining room so I can eat before I go crazy." I said, giggling and continued walking.

Draco followed, sighing softly. "Well, I managed to finish the work so I can relax tonight and if possible, tomorrow as well. My father really messed things up. I may be busy even into part of my new job as Potions Professor or longer." he explained.

"Or longer?" I asked in confusion, looking at Draco. "It's possible that with the damage Father did to the Malfoy name that it may take a few years to fully reverse the damage. There's just so much to do, it's very stressful at times. I mean, trying to find the dark businesses is difficult. Mother has been able to help somewhat, but we are unsure just how many more are left and I'm not willing to go to Knockturn Alley to find out." he explained, looking bothered.

"Oh..damn.." I muttered, unsure how to respond. The walk to the dining room was silent after that, but the silence didn't last long once dinner started, we were having one of my favorite Romanian stews, Ciorbă de perișoare. Crow and Father were talking while Leo and Mother talked. I was eating silently, but I purposefully bumped Draco's foot again. He chuckled quietly and smiled at me. "Playful are we, Raven?" he asked.

I nodded, grinning. "Yes." I whispered. He shook his head in amusement and continued eating. Again, I bumped his foot, but I ate while doing this. He got me back, chuckling quietly. This has become a bit of a game for us since starting it at Hogwarts. I leaned to him and whispered teasingly, "I bet you look like a dork right now as we play this little foot bumping game."

Draco froze and stared at me, his eyes blazing. "What did you call me?" he asked, grabbing my parents and brothers attention. I giggled softly and said, "I called you a dork."

Instantly, Leo and Father began laughing, Crow was covering his mouth with his napkin to silence his laughter and Mother looked rather furious. Leo looked at us, still laughing. "Oh man, the last thing you want to call Draco is a dork." he said, looking highly amused. It's a common occurrence that my family, despite our mannerisms, still goof off and have fun.

Draco looked at me, his eyes still blazing. "Raven, I suggest you run when dinner is over." he cautioned, not sounding angry, but I knew I was going to get it. With a quick nod, I finished eating and excused myself, running as fast as I could up the stairs and into the hallway towards my bedroom.

Draco had finished before me and was hot on my trail and quickly as I ran into my bedroom and hid under the blanket on my bed. I laid as still and as flat as possible, hoping he wouldn't notice. I had to cover my mouth to stifle my giggling as I heard him walk around the room. He was soon right next to the bed on my right and it took everything in me not to laugh.

It seemed like he was unaware that I was under the blanket when he suddenly yanked the blanket down, making me shriek in surprise. "Found you!" he said proudly, grinning widely and grabbed me before I could escape. I squirmed in his arms while he laughed and began mock-biting me on the neck.

Giggling, I grabbed his arms and pulled on them in a vain attempt to pry them off my stomach, but they didn't budge. He stopped the mock-biting and chuckled, holding me close. "Can't escape me now, Raven." he purred softly into my ear.

Despite the pleasurable shiver that ran down my spine, I quickly moved my hands back and pressed them into Draco's sides, effectively tickling him. He jumped and laughed, letting me go. I giggled and crawled away, only for him to grab me by my ankle. "And where do you think you're going?" he asked, running his fingers under my foot, making me flinch and giggle.

"I'm trying to escape the tickle monster named Draco Malfoy!" I said, trying to free my ankle from him. "Oh I'll show you tickle monster! Come here you!" he ordered and grabbed my leg, dragging me to him while laughing. With a shriek of laughter, I tried to crawl away again, but he had both hands on my leg so escaping him was not happening.

Draco was laughing hard, his face starting to turn red. I reached out for one of my pillows, grabbed one and whacked him on the face with it. Not only did it stun him and mess up his hair, but he let go of me in the process. I took advantage of this moment and scrambled off the bed and ran into the bathroom, locking the door and giggling loudly.

I heard him run to the door, the doorknob jiggled and then he chuckled. "Locking the door isn't going to stop me, Raven." he said in amusement. "Yeah, but I was planning on taking a bubble bath anyway." I retorted, giggling.

"Aww, come on." he laughed. "Let me in, Raven. I won't tickle you."

Folding my arms, I stared at the bathroom door. "Really now?" I questioned, smirking. "Yes, really." he answered.

"If you're lying Draco, then I'm spraying you with water." I warned, unlocked the door and opened it. Draco stepped inside and leaned against the countertop, chuckling. "That was fun while it lasted. So, how long will your bath take?" he asked, putting his hands into his pockets.

I shrugged, looking at him. "About thirty minutes, bubble baths are very relaxing for me after all." I said, smiling and walking over to the bathtub. Draco followed and watched as I turned the water on. Turning a special tap, some white liquid mixed into the warm water, creating shea butter scented bubbles.

While I waited for the bathtub to fill up, I gazed at Draco curiously. "So, are you gonna stay in here while I take my bath?" I asked, pulling off my thigh high socks and placing them in the clothes bin. "If it doesn't bother you, I will." he answered, watching me undress.

"I don't mind, just close the bathroom door then as I don't want anyone seeing me nude." I requested, checking the bathtub and saw that it was almost filled up. I heard the door close and a small click, signaling that he locked the door for extra privacy. With that, I pulled my black dress off, leaving me in my bralette and panties, but I took those off seconds later.

Draco was looking at me, smiling fondly. "The only person who gets to see you naked is me." he stated, chuckling softly. I shook my head and smiled. "Yeah and you likely get aroused staring at my nude body." I teased, turning off the tap and stepped into the bathtub, letting out a pleased hum at the warm water. Draco put his hand over his heart dramatically. "Raven, you wound me! I am not some perverted man!" he said in mock hurt.

I giggled, looking at him. "I know, Draco." He chuckled and walked over to me. "I could stare at your naked body for hours and not become aroused as it's only casual, not sexual. That's a big difference and I know that." he explained, smiling.

I smiled back, looking into his eyes, which shined like liquid silver in the lighting. "Hmm, I think I might go to bed after this." I muttered, playing with the bubbles and resting my feet on the end of the bathtub. Bubbles floated around in the air, as we talked casually. One bubble landed in Draco's hair, which got me giggling while Draco looked at me in confusion. "What's making you giggle?" he asked.

"There's a bubble in your hair." I pointed out, giggling. Draco chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, popping the bubble. "Aw, you popped it." I pouted.

"You're covered in bubbles, Raven." he said, chuckling still. I smiled and blew some of the bubbles off my arm. A lot of them floated in the air, some popping in an instant while others remained floating for longer periods of time. "You know Draco, you never told me what that happy memory you used to cast your first Patronus was." I stated, looking my manicured nails fondly, the black polish shining brightly.

"I never told you?" he asked, looking surprised. "I must have forgotten. My happy memory was the day I realized that I was in love with you. It was strong because at the time I knew you were in love with me as well and that in turn meant that we'd one day be together. It was the happiest moment of my life. Maybe even more than when your family vowed to protect me and my mother."

A large smile formed on my face. "That really is a happy memory. I'm kind of glad you found out that I had a crush on you early. It led to us becoming a couple later on. But that memory is happier than being protected by my family?" I giggled questioningly.

Draco smiled and nodded, grabbing my bubble covered hand softly and held it. "I'll be honest Raven, on our first day of Potions class, I could smell the Amortentia." he said softly. I looked at him curiously, squeezing his hand softly. "What could you smell?" I asked.

"I smelled parchment, shea butter and lilacs. I must have been in love with you since we first made eye contact, but never truly realized it until after you put the Protection Spell on me." he explained. I smiled lovingly, our eyes locking. I couldn't be happier hearing that. Draco smiled back. "I think you've been in that bath long enough, you're beginning to look sleepy." he pointed out.

Sighing, I nodded and stood up, rinsing off the bubbles and carefully stepped onto the bath rug in front of the bathtub and grabbed my towel, wrapping it around my body. Walking over to the sink, I brushed my teeth and realized that I forgot to remove my makeup before my bath so I removed it. With a quick face wash, I dried myself off, but kept my towel on before leaving the bathroom.

Draco laid in bed while I dropped the towel to the floor lazily and went to the dresser. Once I got into some panties and a night gown, I laid down in bed and sighed contently. I'd definitely be sleeping good tonight. I felt Draco wrap his arms around me and kiss the top of my head. "Mmm, hold me while I fall asleep, Draco." I mumbled, burying my face into Draco's chest.

"I will." he whispered, pulling the blanket over both of us. He ran his fingers through my hair as I fell asleep. He kept this up until he too fell asleep.

 **\- -Tuesday, July 13, 1999- -**

It was the evening of a hot day. Dinner had ended an hour ago with Draco not showing up due to being too overloaded to eat with us so he ate in his own study room. I was currently in my room painting a drawing of some butterflies that have rainbow colored wings. I had opened the door to the deck to let in the cool breeze.

The calm quiet of the evening was soothing. Time seemed to fade as I carefully painted the wings of the butterflies in a gradient pattern. I hummed quietly as I painted, enjoying myself. The candles lighting my bedroom flickered when a breeze came in. All in all, I was in my own little world. Just like how I used to be in Romania.

I was so immersed in my artwork that I had not heard Draco walk in, but I soon recognized the smell of his cologne and looked through the corner of my eye. Draco was standing behind me to my right, likely looking at what I was painting. He moved quickly and groaned softly, a small thump indicating that he sat down on our bed.

Looking up, I placed my paintbrush in the cup of water and turned to look at Draco. He was rubbing his face with his hands from stress. We haven't had much time to speak other than in the morning when we woke up and a quiet "I love you." or "Goodnight." before going to bed.

That was eight days ago and Draco looked overworked. He put his hands down, noticed that I was gazing at him and gave me a weak smile. "Hi, Raven." he said hoarsely. I frowned at the tone of his voice and sat down next to him. "Hi, you really should take a break and just rest for a day or two. A fresh mind always helps and you look like crap right now." I stated as he laid on his back.

"As much as I want to protest, I know I need to rest. I'll take a two day break, how does that sound to you?" he yawned, looking like he was about to fall asleep for a week. I smiled and ran my fingers through his soft blonde hair. "It sounds wonderful Draco. Why don't you get yourself ready for bed, you look like you're about to pass out from exhaustion." I suggested.

He groaned softly, shaking his head. Giggling, I got off the bed, grabbed Draco's hands and pulled him into a sitting position. He groaned again, opening his eyes to look at me. "C'mon, Draco, at least take off your shoes if you're going to sleep in your clothes." I cajoled, letting go of him and folding my arms. He nodded and kicked off his shoes and slid himself over to his side of the bed, sighing tiredly and closing his eyes.

I smiled and climbed into bed, looking at him. He was already asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. It wasn't even that late and yet he was out like a light. With a quiet sigh, I got up and went back to painting, all while smiling. About an hour passed and it was now eight o'clock and Draco began to stir with a small moan.

I looked up from painting and gazed at him as he woke up. "Have a good nap?" I asked, putting my paintbrush into the cup of water again. He nodded and sat up to stretch, several pops were heard as he did this. "How long was I out?" he asked, looking at the clock.

"An hour." I answered, resting my arm on the back of my chair. "You were quite exhausted when you came back." I pointed out, giggling softly.

Draco shrugged, unbuttoning his dark green shirt. "All this work to fix everything is draining. I even have to do some interviews for the Daily Prophet since the Ministry made note of the Dark Artefacts being taken to them. Apparently some people are spreading rumors about my family." he explained, dropping his shirt into his clothes bin and began unbuckling his belt.

I stared at him curiosity. "When do you have the interviews? And what rumors exactly?" I asked, resting both arms on the chair and laying my chin on my arms.

"In a few days. Some are saying that my family is still on the dark side. I must dismiss this rumor and make an announcement that starting with me, the Malfoy family will no longer be the dark, prejudiced family it once was. No more nonsense on blood status, no dark collections or associations. A new light for my family. Mother won't interfere with that, even if she thinks it is a disappointment that I chose you over another woman in the Sacred Twenty-Eight." he explained.

"That's good then. Also Draco, no one in the Mancers or even the Scarletts are related to any members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Besides, wouldn't you be uncomfortable marrying woman who is technically related to you?" I questioned, looking at him as he put some pajama pants on.

"I am well aware of your family, Raven. Your father told me and yes I would be uncomfortable, it would count as incest and the last thing I want is a girlfriend who is related to me." he said in disgust, folding his arms.

"He told you about my family?" I said in surprise, my eyes wide. He nodded while walking over to the bathroom. I got up and laid down in bed while he turned on the sink and began brushing his teeth. I watched purely because I felt like it. He noticed my gaze through the mirror and raised an eyebrow, making me giggle and roll onto my stomach, resting my chin on my hands.

Draco smiled, shaking his head before spitting and rinsing his mouth of the excess toothpaste. He walked back to the bed and sat down, looking at me as I turned to lay next to him. He wrapped an arm around me and kissed the top of my head. "I love you, Raven." he said lovingly. "I love you too, Draco." I said back, smiling.

We sat in silence for nearly an hour, just enjoying each other's company. I crawled onto his lap and rested my head on his chest, listening his heart beating. Draco then broke the silence with a question. "Hey Raven, what would you think of me growing out my hair?"

I looked up at him and rested my hand under my chin in thought. "Hmm, well, you'd definitely look more handsome, but wouldn't you look even more like your father since his hair got long during his time in Azkaban?"

Draco shuddered. "I don't want to look any more like my father than I already do." he said in disgust. "Forget I even thought of it."

I chuckled softly and ran my fingers through his hair. "Well, either way, you look better than your father any day, with or without long hair. If you decide to grow it out anyway, I'd be able to braid your hair for fun." I giggled, running my fingers down to his cheeks. "You got stubble on your face again."

He chuckled, rubbing his cheek with his hand. "I'll shave in the morning after I shower." Giggling again, I rested my head back on his chest for only a few minutes before I decided to get up and change into my night gown. I brushed my teeth, this time Draco was watching me and I could see him through the mirror. I couldn't help but grin and giggle when he stuck his tongue out at me.

I rinsed out my mouth and climbed into bed quickly. Draco shook his head in amusement as I got myself comfortable. Just as I finally got into a comfortable position that I realized that the door to the deck was still open. "Draco, could you by chance close the door?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded, got up and closed it. As he walked back, he took a glance at my painting of the butterflies and smiled fondly. "You are a talented artist, Raven." he complimented.

"Thanks." I said softly, blushing softly. He turned to look at me and grinned. "Aww, you're blushing." he cooed. My cheeks darkened and I hid under the blanket. "No I'm not." I lied.

The bed dipped down when Draco got into bed. I could hear him chuckling. "Now, don't lie to me, Raven. I know you're blushing. It's adorable." he stated, pulling the blanket off me. I blew a small raspberry and hit him with a pillow. He laughed, grabbed the pillow from my hand and pulled me into his arms lovingly. "Playful are we, Raven?" he purred softly, still holding the pillow. I shook my head rather nodding. Being held in his arms again relaxed me. "Not anymore." I yawned, snuggling into his torso and resting my head on his chest.

Draco smiled, put the pillow back in its place and moved himself a bit and laid down, all while holding me. He whispered to me, "We'll spend some time together for the next two days, but I may need to plan out what I'm going to say at my interviews. Those plans will only last an hour."

I nodded, smiling. "I think I'll finish my painting when you plan." I felt his hand hold my own, his thumb rubbing the top gently. "I'd love to see it when it's finished." he whispered, resting his chin on my shoulder.

The night went on like this, with us both talking until we both fell asleep. Draco held me in his arms all night. I had adjusted myself unconsciously to rest my head on his chest to listen to his heart beating. Definitely the best way to fall asleep.

 **\- -Saturday, July 17, 1999- -**

I was finally starting my training for Defence Against the Dark Arts. Crow was helping me and today I'd be facing a boggart. I've faced one before, when I was little, only seven years old at the time. It scared me so badly that I had screamed and somehow blasted the creature back with accidental magic. Although the blast didn't change it, only moving it back by a few feet, the sound of my scream was enough to get my father's attention. He had come running with his wand in hand and saw the scene and banished it before comforting me, telling me it was only a boggart.

To this day, I still had issues with them, but if I was ever going to become the next Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, I needed to be able to face them. I shuddered at the image the boggart would turn into. Everyone in my family knew my fear.

Crow was leading me to the Dueling Room, where I'd be facing a boggart he and Father found. I was scared, the boggart would turn into my worst fear and I had to practice on it enough that I can banish it with ease. In this case put back in it's hiding place to keep practicing. We entered the Dueling Room and Crow led me to the area where I'd be facing the creature.

He stood next to a drawer, which shook a lot. "Ok, Raven. I know you are nervous and I can understand that. We will only face the boggart once a day. Any more attempts and it may cause anxiety problems for you and we don't want that. Father and I found this boggart in a closet and managed to relocate it into this drawer." he explained.

I nodded, pulling out my wand nervously. He looked at me. "Are you ready, Raven?" he asked. I nodded again, holding up my wand. Crow opened the drawer and I watched at the boggart quickly took form of every family member lying on the ground dead, each of them killed in a different way. Fear washed over me and I shakily pointed my wand at the boggart. _"R-riddikulus!"_ I cried, but it didn't work.

I attempted to try again, but the boggart flashed from Father's dead body to Draco's, shocking me to the point that I dropped my wand and covered my hand in horror. His throat had been slit and blood covered his front. Blood seeped from his mouth and his eyes were dull. My body shook as I stood there, staring at the body. All thought process of this not being real forgotten as tears began to fall.

Crow acted quickly, jumping in front of me and the boggart changed to his fear: The dead bodies of Leo and I flashed in front of Crow and he shouted, _"Riddikulus!"_ and the boggart was forced back into the drawer.

He turned around and saw how shaken up I was. I sat on the floor, my body shaking with quiet sobs as I hugged my knees to my chest. He came over and hugged me. "It's okay, Raven. It was only a boggart." he whispered, hugging me tight. Sobs racked through my body, making it difficult to speak as I struggled to say, "G-get D-D-Draco."

Crow left the room in an instant as I sobbed more in fear. All I wanted was Draco to hold me close.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

Another interview was being planned. The Daily Prophet would be posting the interview like my last two interviews. Those were stressful, but necessary. It was a relief to announce the side my family would be on starting with me. Some still remained skeptical, but with this next interview, I would make it clear that every dark artefact has been removed and I am currently cutting off any and all dark businesses.

A risky move to do, but it was imperative if I was going to prove that the Malfoy family would no longer be known for all of this dark bullshit. It was already difficult enough to prove that I am not prejudiced towards muggles or Muggle-borns. My mother still held her beliefs. She already considered Raven a disappointing girlfriend for me. Not very helpful if you ask me.

Planning out all this was difficult and I was beginning to feel overstimulated. My thoughts were interrupted by a rapid knock on the door. "Come in." I called out. Crow stepped in, looking panicked and panting heavily. "R-Raven needs you." he breathed.

I stood up in an instant. "What happened?" I fretted, walking over to Crow quickly.

He took a few deep breaths, leading me in the direction of the Dueling Room. "I was training her in facing boggarts, when she saw it take form of her fear, she saw you in her fear. You were dead and it scared her bad." he explained. My heart dropped. She saw my dead body.

"How bad was my dead body?" I questioned, worried about what she had seen.

"Your throat was slit, blood covered the front of your body while blood seeped from your mouth." he murmured.

I felt my face turn white and tinge green. "Oh god." I whispered and walked faster. The sooner I got to Raven to comfort her, the better. The moment we entered the Dueling Room, I broke into a run and fell to my knees in front of Raven. She was crying, her body shaking from the sobs.

"Raven." I said softly, looking at her in worry. She looked up, her bottom lip trembling and her face wet with tears. I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. She sobbed harder, her arms wrapping around me just as tightly. "It's okay, Raven, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." I comforted, rubbing her back in small circles.

A few tears fell down my face from hearing her cry. The amount of time that passed was unknown, but her sobs eventually died down to small sniffles and hiccups. I let go of her and placed my hand on her cheek, looking into her bloodshot eyes while wiping away stray tears with my thumb. "Are you alright, Raven?" I asked softly.

She shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "Please d-don't leave me." she whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear her. "I won't leave you, Raven. I'm staying with you for as long as needed." I assured her, wiping away the tears that fell.

After a few minutes of silence, I spoke again. "Raven, do you want to see what my worst fear is?" I asked softly. She looked up at me with worry in her sad eyes, but nodded. "Is it as bad as mine." she asked. I nodded. "I'll be able to face it." I assured her.

Crow walked over, apparently hearing what I had asked. "Draco, are you sure you want to face the boggart?" he questioned.

"Yes." I answered, pulling out my wand and standing up. Raven stood up next to me, her eyes still glistening with tears. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "It'll be alright, Raven. Go stand by Crow." I told her and she nodded weakly, walking over to him while I moved closer until Crow stopped me.

Crow put his hand on the drawer that the boggart apparently sat in. He looked at me one final time. "Are you ready?" he asked. I took a deep breath and nodded.

He opened the drawer and I watched stiffly as the boggart came out, spotted me and shifted into Raven lying on the floor dead, blood spilling from the side of her head from a large crack in her skull. A piece of parchment laid on her body, a note from my father, it read, _"You should have joined us. Now you've paid the price."_

It scared me more than ever because I never wanted to lose Raven. I knew this wasn't real despite how bad the fear I felt was. With a deep breath, I shouted, _"Riddikulus!"_ and the body shifted into a snake chasing it's tail like a dog. All fear disappeared and I started laughing at the sight.

Crow got the boggart back into the drawer while chuckling. Raven's lips were twitching, but her eyes still glistened with tears. I tucked my wand into the pocket of my trousers and walked over to her, feeling concerned. "Raven, what's wrong?" I asked softly, looking into her eyes.

A single tear fell down her cheek, which I wiped away. "Nothing is wrong, Draco, but why is your worst fear losing me?" she asked softly.

My gaze lowered to the floor. Swallowing the lump that formed in my throat, I moved my gaze back to her. "Because you're the one I care about most. I can't bear losing you. I don't know if I'd be able to live with myself if something happened to you." I confessed, feeling tears beginning to form in my eyes. Raven responded by hugging me tightly and whispering, "You won't lose me, Draco."

With a smile, I hugged her back. She buried her face into my chest and relaxed. I glanced over at Crow and he raised an eyebrow. "We can leave the Dueling Room anytime." he noted. I nodded and nudged Raven gently. "Raven, let's go back to our room." I whispered.

She looked up at me, nodded and let go, looking around. "Where's my wand?" she asked. I shrugged, but looked around for a moment before spotting it on the floor and picked it up. I then noticed the details on the handle of Raven's wand. There were delicate carvings in the shape of roses and vines. It was a beautiful wand and suited Raven perfectly.

Smiling, I handed Raven her wand and we left the Dueling Room. Crow said he'd check on her later on to make sure she was doing okay. I assured him that I'd be staying with her for the rest of the day and that's what I did.

All day, I stayed by her side and held her close. It was peaceful and by the evening, we were standing on the deck admiring the sun setting as the air cooled. Raven had calmed down by then, but I refused to go back to my work despite her insisting I could. We later fell asleep sitting up, Raven's head on my shoulder and my head on top of her head.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Friday, July 23, 1999- -**

I sighed as I sat by the pool. It was hot outside so all of us were at the pool. Someone really needs to invent a cooling spell for homes when these hot days happen. Draco was still busy and he refused to leave his study to take a small break to cool off. I warned him that being in a hot room for too long is bad for one's health and he reluctantly said he'd come out in an hour to join us.

That was two hours ago and I was starting become annoyed and worried. He really needed to come out. Leo noticed my change of mood and swam over to me. "Maybe you should go get Draco now, Raven. He isn't going to last in this heat." he suggested.

I nodded and got up, wincing at the tenderness of my upper back. Maybe I pulled something while swimming. I entered the manor and walked up the stairs, down the hallway passed my bedroom and down a few doors to a room converted for Draco to use as his study. The manor was still quite hot and I was hoping Draco was okay. He probably was, but just hot from the heat.

Once I arrived at the door, I knocked gently three times. "Draco?" I called.

"Come in." I heard him call back. I opened the door and stepped inside. "Draco, aren't you coming out to swim. It's been over two hours and it's stifling in here." I said, folding my arms. Draco looked at the clock and his eyebrows went up. "I didn't realize that much time had passed." he stated and stood up, stretching.

I smiled. "So, you're joining us?" I asked. He nodded and walked with me to my bedroom and quickly changed into his swim shorts. "I got the sunscreen outside so you don't have to grab any."

Draco looked at me as I mentioned this, holding a towel in his arm. "Speaking of sunscreen Raven, did you use enough on your back? You're looking a bit pink around the shoulders." he questioned, walking to me and gazing at my back.

"I'm sure I put enough on. My back does feel a bit tender though." I stated, wincing when his fingers touched my upper back. He sighed softly, moving his hand away. "You got a slight sunburn, Raven. Did you get one of your brothers to help you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, I thought I got all the places myself."

"Well, you can't go back outside without getting that treated first. Then I will put sunscreen on you again to make sure you don't get another sunburn." he explained, walking over to the dresser and grabbed the burn paste. "Sit down, Raven." he ordered, opening the burn paste container. Sighing, I sat down on my bed and winced when I felt the orange substance rub against my skin. The tenderness soon disappeared and I heard Draco close the container.

"Now then, let's go outside and I'll apply a new layer of sunscreen on you." he said, standing up and taking my hand to pull me up as well. I smiled and followed him outside. Leo grinned at us as we stepped outside, where it felt much cooler than inside, but still hot. "There you are, Draco. We were wondering when you'd leave the stifling manor."

Draco chuckled and led me to a chair in the shade, grabbing the sunscreen. "Yes, well, I lost track of time and I probably wouldn't have left if Raven hadn't come to get me." he explained, applying sunscreen to my back. Leo chuckled, resting his arms on the pool edge, watching Draco. "Did Raven not apply enough sunscreen?" he asked.

"I didn't reach my upper back very well and had gotten a minor sunburn so Draco healed it and is reapplying the sunscreen so I don't get another sunburn." I explained just as Draco finished applying the stuff. Leo nodded and went back to swimming. I helped Draco get sunscreen on and once that was done, I ran towards the deep end of the pool and jumped in happily.

When I surfaced, I saw that Draco was chuckling in amusement. Giggling, I motioned at him to join. "You should jump in Draco, it's fun!" I beamed, swimming around. He smiled and ran towards the deep end as well and jumped in, the water splashing me. Wiping the excess water from my face, I looked in time to see Draco doing the same before swimming towards me.

I smiled and blew a raspberry at him before swimming away and giggling. "Get back here you!" he called out, laughing. Leo and Crow then blocked my path, both grinning. "Oh, you asses, move out of the way!" I whined, splashing at them.

Crow chuckled. "Well, we want to see why you are always giggling so much so no can do, Raven." he said, folding his arms.

I attempted to swim around them, but Leo caught me and I squealed in surprise, kicking my legs as he held me in place. "Noo! Unhand me you beast!" I shrieked, laughing. "Who you calling a beast?" he asked while laughing.

I felt Draco's hands grab me and he pulled me to him. "Can't get away now, Raven." he quipped, snaking his arms around my midsection. I laughed and squirmed in his arms. "Let me go, Draco." I squealed, facing him. He had a huge grin on his face, his eyes shining bright silver. "And why would I let you go?" he asked softly.

I shrugged, making him chuckle and he let go of me. "Oh, I'll find a way to get you giggling and squealing at some point today, Raven." he said with a smirk. I splashed him and dove underwater, swimming towards the deep end again, at least deep for me, but the water would go just below Draco's shoulders.

When I surfaced, I noticed Draco wasn't anywhere. Looking around, I didn't see his swimming form behind me until it was too late. He suddenly shot up from underneath me, making me sit on his shoulders. I squeaked loudly as he held onto my hands so I wouldn't fall. "Draco!" I squealed, but he only laughed.

Two louder splashes were heard and upon looking, I saw that it was Mother and Father. Mother stayed in place to speak to Crow while Father came to us. He glanced up at me and chuckled. "Wow, Raven, you grew more." he jested.

Rolling my eyes, I blew a raspberry at him and giggled. Draco shook with laughter while Father barked out a laugh. "Come here, Raven, we can play your favorite pool game."

My eyes lit up. "The game where you throw me into the air so I can fall into the water?" I beamed. He nodded, grinning. Draco looked confused. "You like being thrown into the air like that?" he asked.

Father chuckled and nodded. "She loved this when she little and she still enjoys it to this day." he explained as I gazed at Draco, who looked mildly surprised. "Draco, can you let me down?" I asked. He did so and Father picked me up, launching me several feet forward. I shrieked in laughter as I landed back into the water.

This went on for about ten minutes, Leo and Crow soon joined in and did the same to me. Draco was heavily amused and was laughing as I fell into the water again and again. Once it had ended, I was panting and my stomach ached from laughing so much. Draco was leaning back against the pool edge, the scars on his torso were visible. I swam over to him and smiled.

He smiled back, looking at me fondly. "Have fun, Raven?" he asked. I nodded and held onto the edge to stay afloat. Draco chuckled, wrapping an arm around me. "We haven't spent a lot of time together since I began all my work. Maybe I should stop for now and spend some time with you." he said.

"I'd like that." I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. His head rested on top of mine. I soon had my energy back and went back to swimming around, diving underwater happily in the deep end. Leo constantly messed with me by grabbing my leg when I wasn't looking and every damn time, it made me shriek in surprise, much to the amusement of Leo, Crow, Draco and Father.

Mother, though happy we were having fun, didn't approve of the behavior at our age. When I swam past Draco, he smirked and splashed me. This quickly led to a splash fight, his hair that was once damp and messy, was now soaked and sticking to his head.

The time passed and the air began to cool by the time dinner was supposed to be ready. All of us got out, dried off and left to get dressed. I took a quick shower to rinse my hair and body of the pool water and got into some comfortable clothes, Draco showered after me and did the same when he finished.

Dinner came rather late due to all of us being in the pool until sundown, we had a delicious meal consisting of a mix of Romanian and British food. Much to my own horror, Mother decided to bring up a certain topic. A topic reach she had asked Leo and Crow before and now it was towards Draco and I. "So Raven, have you and Draco decided on having children yet?"

Draco choked on his own saliva and I nearly spat out my milk. "M-Mother! We're only nineteen, why would we think of that?" I spluttered. Draco's cheeks were dark red from coughing and the topic in general.

Mother looked at us both. "Nonsense! You're old enough to have kids now. Draco, have you thought of marrying Raven?" she inquired, making Draco splutter and his face darkened in color. If wasn't for the situation, I would've found his face amusing. "Mother, I'm not ready for kids yet, I haven't even gotten that far into my life yet to even think about it!" I complained, beginning to blush furiously.

"Margret, I am going to be working this year as the new Potions Professor, I don't have time to think about stuff like that." he explained.

"Then are you sure you're good enough for our daughter?" Mother censured. I didn't see the look of anger on Draco's face, but I didn't like what I heard. I threw down my utensils with a clang and stormed out of the dining room, tears brimming in my eyes. I ran up the stairs and down the hallway before entering my room and slamming the door as hard as I could, making a few things shake in the process. I honestly didn't care if I was going to be in trouble for the slamming the damn door.

Wiping away the small tears that fell, I opened the door to the deck and stepped outside to calm myself down. First Narcissa disapproves of me, now my own mother disapproves of Draco? Why would it matter whether or not Draco and I planned on marriage or having children anytime soon? We're still too young to become parents, if that would even be something we'd do.

I sighed softly, resting my arms on the railing and buried my faced into them. I wasn't exactly crying, but I just needed to hide my face. Sniffling, I got lost in my thoughts.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

I honestly couldn't believe Margret said that. I jumped when Raven slammed her utensils down and left the dining room. The sound of her footsteps going up the stairs faded quickly and it soon followed with a loud slam of her bedroom door. Leo and Crow looked upset at Margret and even Louis looked disappointed at her. "Now honey, was that really necessary?" he inquired.

Leo snapped his fingers at me, grabbing my attention. "Go check on Raven." he urged. With a nod, I excused myself and left while everyone talked. I rushed up the stairs and got to her bedroom within half a minute. Knocking gently, I opened the door. "Raven?" I crooned softly. Stepping inside, I didn't see her and panicked for a moment when I saw the back door opened, but calmed down when I saw her only standing there.

She was leaning against the railing, her head buried into her arms, her shoulders shaking slightly. My heart sank and I walked over to her. "Raven?" I whispered. She jumped and turned around quickly, her eyes wide for a moment before softening.

"Oh, hi Draco." she murmured, her gaze falling to the floor. "Raven," I started, putting my hand under her chin gently and lifted her head so our eyes would meet. "Don't listen to your mother. What she said was harsh and uncalled for, but it doesn't matter. No matter what people say about us, even if they don't approve of us being together, Raven, we'll be together no matter what." I told her, looking into her emerald green eyes.

A smile formed on her face, her eyes glistened with tears and she wrapped her arms around my torso tightly. "You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that, Draco." she mumbled, her voice muffled slightly from her face being buried in my chest. I smiled, wrapping my arms around her.

Raven let go of me, looking towards the railing and sighing. "I don't understand why Mother would ask if we're going to have kids at the age we're at. Aren't we a little young?" she asked, looking back over at me.

I folded my arms and nodded, going to the railing and leaning my back against it. "She just wants to become a grandmother early, but yes, we are rather young and it's too early to think about."

Raven walked over and leaned against the railing as well, but her stomach rested against it rather than her back. "What about the whole marriage thing? Have you ever wanted to get married?" she questioned. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of marrying Raven. I shrugged, looking up at the starry sky, searching for the constellation I was named after. "I don't know honestly, it's too early to think about, but, yes, I have wanted to get married as it was something brought up a lot when I was younger." I answered.

She smiled, now looking up at the sky as well. She pointed up at something. "Is that the Draco constellation?" she asked. I turned around and gazed where she was pointing and smiled. "Indeed it is." I answered. "Did you know that your brother Leo is also named after a constellation?" I asked. She shook her head.

I scanned the sky for a moment before spotting the constellation and pointed at it. "There it is, see it?" I pointed out. She looked and smiled. "I knew of the constellation, but didn't think that he was possibly named after it." she mused.

A thought came to me at the mention of being named after constellations. "Raven, why were you and Crow named after the two birds?" I asked, looking at her.

She giggled softly. "According to Mother, she chose to name Crow after the bird purely out of choice, same with Leo's. I on the other hand was a special case, she had always wanted a daughter named Raven, and when she was in labor with me, looking out the window of the Birthing Room here at the manor, or well the manor back in Romania, she saw a raven standing on the railing with a emerald attached to a silver chain in it's beak, like it wanted her to name me after it."

My eyebrows went up in surprise. She was named all because of that one bird with a precious jewel in it's beak. "Wow." I gaped. She giggled at my reaction. I smiled fondly and looked at the sky again.

"Draco, I'm going to head inside for the night and lay down. I'm exhausted from after all that happened today." she yawned, turning around and walking into her bedroom. I gazed at the sky one last time before heading inside as well and closing the door. Raven was in the bathroom brushing her teeth so I got myself changed into my pajama pants, brushed my teeth as well and laid in bed.

Raven looked so tired, she only took her shoes off before collapsing into bed and falling asleep in her clothes. I smiled, pulled the blanket over ourselves and waved my wand, putting out the candles. My final thoughts before falling asleep were wondering what would happen with Raven and I in the future.

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	20. Chapter 20

((From this moment on, any spells and potions that are not canon will count as my own content ideas. Now the chances of these spells and potions being very similar or even exactly like the fanon ones is unavoidable unfortunately.))

((Enjoy the chapter and this story has officially reached 4,000 views.))

 **\- -Chapter 20: Playful Brothers and Professor Malfoy- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Wednesday, August 11, 1999- -**

Today was a good day. Draco had cut off nearly three-fourths of the dark businesses his family had been involved in from his father and even got quite a few arrested for it. He then decided that he'd spend the rest of the summer relaxing, brewing potions and spending time with all of us.

Mother had gotten an earful from Father, Leo and Crow after what she had said about Draco and later apologized, stating it was not appropriate of her, although she did, to my amusement and surprise, say she still expected us to have kids in the near future. Typical moms always hope their kids will have their own at some point.

It was mid-afternoon now, Draco was taking a short nap to regain his energy. I was painting with my watercolor paints while humming quietly. It was not very hot today, but I had the back door opened to let in the cool breeze.

The albino peacock that used to live at Malfoy Manor still strutted around here and just a few days ago, while Draco and I were roaming the rose garden, the peacock had started squawking nearby and it had scared the crap out of me, much to Draco's amusement as he had laughed at the look on my face.

I had slapped him upside the head for laughing and that in turn resulted in him chasing me around playfully. Man, I loved that he has playful side. He didn't look like the kind of guy to have such a side, but he does and it's wonderful.

I sat back down and got lost in my thoughts. I wondered what would be happening now. Draco would be working this year and I'd be continuing my training to one day become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Since Crow was spending more time with his girlfriend, Gabriella, he wouldn't be available so my uncles Zakari and Axel offered to help me continue training, which was of great help.

Sighing softly, my thoughts drifted to what it would be like working as a Hogwarts Professor. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I knew it would be worth it in the end. I'd be teaching students how to defend themselves with spells and everything, I'd likely have the moments where I'd have to aid in fighting dark creatures as well, among many others things.

My thoughts were interrupted by Draco groaning softly. I turned around and saw that he had woken up as he was stretching and yawning. "Hey, sleepy head. Have a nice nap?" I asked, giggling, looking at him. He yawned again and nodded. I smiled, got up and climbed into bed, laying on my stomach.

Draco gazed down at me with a smile. "Hello there." he said softly, laying down on his stomach as well, our foreheads resting together and our eyes locking together, silver meeting emerald. I giggled and stuck my tongue out. He narrowed his eyes with a mischievous grin. "I know a better use for that tongue of yours, Raven." he whispered.

I raised a dark eyebrow, sitting up. "And what is that, Draco?" I asked. He sat up, grabbed my head with his hands and crushed his lips onto mine, surprising me for a moment. A soft moan vibrated in my throat as I melted into the kiss, our lips moving together. My eyes closed, my arms wrapping around his neck as he moved his arms to my waist, pulling me onto his lap.

He suddenly sank his teeth into my bottom lip, though gently, making me gasp and his tongue invaded my mouth. It was slick and hot against my own. Our tongues slid together in a delicate dance as my cheeks reddened at the intimate kiss. It's been months since we kissed like this. It was sending shivers down my spine, but it didn't last long. He broke the kiss, saliva trailing from our tongues.

"Told you I know a better use of that tongue of yours." he smirked. I rolled my eyes, my cheeks still red. "Yeah, well, I'm feeling all hot now because you." I admitted, folding my arms. A grin formed on his face, his hand trailing down my side to my hip, sending more shivers down my spine. "Want me to fix that?" he asked seductively.

I shook my head. "Despite my urges, I think I'd rather relax." I rolled over onto my back with my arms spread out as I let out a relaxed sigh. Draco crawled over and rested his head on my stomach for some reason. "Why is your head on my stomach?" I asked, not bothering to look. "I just feel like it." he answered. I giggled, making his head bounce softly, causing him to laugh, which turn only made me laugh more.

Draco sat up, still laughing and moved over, laying on his side to face me. "Say Raven, would you like to go on a date with me?" he asked. I looked at him and smiled. "I'd love to." I answered happily.

He smiled back. "Wonderful. How about this Sunday at six?"

I nodded. "Sure. We'll have to let Father know that we won't be available for dinner that day." I said, smiling.

Dinner later came and went, Draco and I were pretty hungry this time. Mother asked why, but we shrugged, saying we were unsure. Leo asked teasingly if Draco and I had sex as to answer why we were so hungry, but before I could answer, Mother spoke up. "Absolutely not! She is to wait until marriage to do such a thing!" she scolded.

I looked at Draco nervously, he was frozen and also looked nervous. Mother had a strict view on sex before marriage and she'd flip out if she found out I was sexually active with Draco. Father wasn't as strict, but he'd just urge us that it would've been better to wait and tell us to use protection.

Leo thankfully cut in. "Mother, it was only a joke. Don't take it so seriously." he said dryly. She narrowed her eyes at him and then glared at Draco, who stiffened even more if that was possible. "Young man, you may not be part of the family blood wise, but I expect you to be proper and not take my daughter's purity."

He nodded shakily. I growled softly in annoyance. "Mother, can you _please_ stay out of our business? You're ruining the mood here and what Draco and I do is none of your business, but I can assure you that we have not had sex of any kind." I said stiffly.

Father coughed awkwardly. "Sorry you had to hear that Father." I said quietly. I knew Mother would find out eventually and it would not end well, but I'd deal with her rage later. Dinner went by tensely and we soon excused ourselves. My mood improved by the time we finished.

Later, while in my bedroom, Draco was making me giggle loudly enough to get Crow's attention and he stood at the door, looking amused. "Who's giggling?" he asked in a playful manner, looking at us. I was having a giggling fit and his question only made me giggle even harder.

Crow grinned, walking over to us. "Who said you were allowed to giggle, Raven?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips. I blew a raspberry at Crow, to which he chuckled and shook his head. Draco nuzzled my side with his hand, making me jump. "I'm ticklish there." I squeaked. Crow then smirked and whispered something to Draco, who grinned widely. "Oh no." I mumbled, sensing trouble and got up quickly, running out of my bedroom.

They gave chase as I ran. I laughed, running down the hallways of our manor. "We're going to get you Raven!" called Draco. I made a sharp turn and hid in the darkness, covering my mouth to stifle my giggles as they ran past me, their footsteps fading. With a quick look to see if it was safe, I ran back towards my bedroom, but I heard them again just as I got near Leo's bedroom. "There she is!" called Crow in the distance. I squeaked and with luck, Leo had his door open. "Leo, hide me!" I squeaked as I entered his room.

He was about to say something when he heard Draco and Crow call after me and nodded, snickering. Leo led me to his bed where I sat down and he grabbed one of his Quidditch blankets (the Banshee Bats, a Romanian Quidditch team) and threw it over me. I giggled quietly, covering my mouth. I heard the chair creak as Leo sat back down.

I laid down to hide my form under the blanket. Just in time too as Draco and Crow came in. "Leo, is Raven around?" asked Crow. I could hear footsteps walking in my direction. "I heard her run past my bedroom." he lied fluently.

"Are you sure she ran past here?" asked an amused Draco, who was right next to me. Did he know I was hiding? "I think I know where she is, Crow." he chuckled.

Leo laughed. "She's not in here. Why are staring at my Quidditch blanket like it's the most interesting thing in the manor?" he asked.

"She has a habit of hiding under things and this blanket looks unusually lumpy." Crow stated, chuckling as I heard him walk over. Oh great, I forgot that Crow knew my hiding habits. Draco laughed and yanked the blanket off me, making me shriek. "No!" I yelped, jumping out of Leo's bed and tried to run, but Crow and Draco grabbed me.

"Leo! Help me!" I squealed, struggling in their grip. Leo didn't respond as he was laughing so hard. Despite all of my attempts to escape, I was having a lot of fun. Draco nuzzled my side with his hand, making me shriek as I freed my hand from Crow's grip. I pushed him down onto Leo's bed and freed my other hand and ran out of Leo's room.

Draco gave chase as I ran down the halls, past my bedroom without any choice and ran down the stairs. I made a beeline towards Father, who was sitting on one of the armchairs and gazing at me as I ran and stood in front of him as Draco stopped a few feet behind Father. "Pardon me, Father, just trying to escape Draco and Crow." I explained quickly.

Father chuckled in amusement. Draco huffed and folded his arms. I stuck my tongue out at him, giggling at his expression. I saw Crow run down the stairs. I smiled nervously, hiding my hands behind my back as I carefully pulled out my wand. Crow stood next to Draco, staring at me. With one swift movement, I aimed my wand at Draco and said, _"Rictusempra!"_ and did the same to Crow before he could react fast enough. They both doubled over in laughter and I took my chance and ran from them.

I ran back up the stairs, down the hallway and into my bedroom, closing the door and locking it. I couldn't help but giggle loudly as I waited for them to come by. This was too much fun. The sound of footsteps soon came, I could hear Draco chuckling. "She's in her room, Crow." he said and the doorknob jiggled. "Nice try, Raven." he laughed.

Knowing he'd unlock the door, I ran to my bed and grabbed my blanket, wrapping it around my body in an attempt to protect myself from them. Only my head stuck out of the blanket and I couldn't help but giggle at how ridiculous I must have looked. I grabbed my pillows and surrounded myself with them as well.

 _"Alohomora."_ I heard Draco mutter. He then opened the door, took one good look at me and burst out laughing. Crow came in and shook his head in amusement. "Really, Raven?" he asked, folding his arms. "I'm in a blanket burrito with pillows. You can't tickle me now." I giggled, smiling. Crow laughed and Draco, who was still laughing, walked over to me and sat down on the bed.

"You look silly and adorable, Raven." he complimented, chuckling. "But you're still being tickled." he said and attempted to tickle me, but the blanket saved me. He growled low in his throat, that got me feeling a bit hotter than usual, and he tackled me, wrapping his arms around the blanket that covered my body.

I laughed as he tried to pull the blanket off. Crow came over and pulled as well. To my dismay, they managed to get the blanket off of me and I was attacked by both of them. The amount of laughter and shrieks I let out was unknown, but I ended up getting the attention of Leo, Father and Mother and all three came to see what was going on.

All them, yes, even Mother, were amused by the sight. Soon enough thankfully, Draco and Crow stopped so I could recover and breathe. Crow smiled and left after a few minutes, closing the bedroom door. I gazed at Draco as I laid on my back, breathing heavily from laughing so much.

He smiled, laying down on his side next to me. "That was fun." he commented, running his fingers along my arm softly. I nodded in agreement, sighing contently. Draco sat up minutes later, grinning for some reason. "What's with that grin?" I asked.

He answered by lifting up my shirt a bit, making my cheeks flush red and he leaned down, pressing his lips to my stomach and blew hard. I shrieked in surprise while he laughed. "I've always wanted to do that." he stated, grinning. I looked at him, putting my shirt back down and shook my head, smiling. "You are such a dork, Draco." I commented.

Draco laughed, wrapping an arm around me. "And you love me for it." he said, grinning. I smiled back, kissing him on the cheek. "That I do." I responded and looked at the clock. "How about we relax for the rest of the evening?"

He nodded. "After what we did, I wouldn't mind at all." he answered. I smiled again and for the rest of the evening, we talked and relaxed, with Draco holding me close and being affectionate.

 **\- -Sunday, August 15, 1999- -**

I was very excited for today. Draco and I would be going on a real date. It was a dinner date so it was currently nearing the time we normally had dinner here at the manor (dinner here starts at six). I had just put my dress shoes on when Draco came into the room, he was dressed in his usual all black suit, which really made him look very handsome. I had put on a black knee length dress that had elbow length sleeves, with black thigh highs and black dress shoes. Around my neck was the silk choker Draco had given me during the first Christmas we had together.

I wore simple makeup like I usually do, just thin eyeliner and a touch of mascara with black eyeshadow in the form of a light smokey eye. Draco smiled and walked over to me. "You look beautiful, Raven." he complimented, taking my hand and kissing it. My cheeks turned pink as a smile formed on my face. "Thank you." I responded, smiling.

"Shall we go now?" he asked, still holding my hand. I nodded and we left the manor by Apparition after passing the gates. We had passed our tests for it and got Apparition licenses. Side-Along apparition had been practiced as well so we could get to places together with ease now.

We arrived at Diagon Alley, where Draco had said that there were a couple of good places to go to. He led me to a nice restaurant, and being the gentleman that he is, he held the door open for me before following me behind. We went to a table, looked at the menus and decided on having some steak with a small salad and some ice water.

I enjoyed myself as we waited for our food to come. We talked and laughed, enjoying each other's company. Draco reached over and held my hand that was resting on the table, his thumb rubbing the top softly. I smiled, resting my chin on my other hand. The food soon came and it was delicious.

As we ate, Draco kept saying kind things about me and I kept blushing and quietly giggling. I was wondering if he said these things just to hear me giggle. He did say at one point that he loved hearing me laugh. I began complimenting him and his cheeks turned pink to my amusement.

We ate slowly, enjoying our time together until we finished our dinner and had dessert. Draco and I both had some triple chocolate cake. Draco looked like he was going to drool a river when the tasty treat arrived covered in hot melted chocolate. The cake was definitely the best part of the meal.

Draco paid the bill once we were done and we left the restaurant. We were holding hands as we walked around Diagon Alley. A short time later, we decided to go back to the manor and apparated back. I tapped the gates and they opened, allowing us to walk inside and enter the manor.

In the Drawing Room, Leo and Crow were sitting and talking, quiet instrumental music was playing. I smiled and went upstairs towards my bedroom, Draco following behind. Once we entered, I left the door partially opened and pulled my wand out, flicking it at my music player. Quiet instrumental music began playing, my favorite kind as well.

Draco sat down on our bed and gazed at me as I hummed softly to the music. It was perfect for dancing to and Draco seemed to notice as he smiled and stood back up, walked over to me and held his hand out. "May I have this dance?" he proposed. I took his hand and nodded, smiling.

We began dancing around my bedroom, the time forgotten as we danced as though we were at a high class ball. Our eyes were locked, silver meeting emerald. I felt so happy dancing with him for the first time. Draco was smiling, his eyes shining like liquid silver in the candle light.

I do not know how long we danced, but we soon stopped. Draco leaned down and kissed me lovingly. I kissed him back just as lovingly, wrapping my arms around his neck and raised myself up on the tips of my toes. Our kiss lasted until we had to stop and breathe. He leaned down and whispered, "I want to make love to you, Raven."

This led to the both of us kissing once more and falling into our bed, the both of us undressing slowly. Of course, in the heat of the moment, we failed to remember that the bedroom door was not closed. . .

Later that night, we soon found out that the door was open during our activities. Draco was embarrassed as he had moaned quite loudly at the end before realizing the door wasn't closed. To make matters worse, Crow sent us a note explaining that Mother and Father had caught us in the act and Leo and Father had to silence Mother and hold her back from barging in on us.

Mother was going to go off on the both of us tomorrow. Crow warned us to expect that Mother might get rather harsh on Draco.

The next day, she did, on both of us. Draco turned white when she went off on him. Mother is very scary when angry so I didn't blame him, I was frozen in place when she yelled at me. I took up to defending him by telling her that it was my decision to lose my virginity to Draco as I had asked him if we were ready to make that next step.

She still scolded us and went as far as to tell us not to be sexually active anymore, not that we'd listen. Magic has many wonderful uses after all. We just have to remember to keep the damn door closed from now on.

 **\- -Monday, August 25, 1999- -**

It was a pleasant afternoon. Draco and I were hanging out with my brothers in the Drawing Room talking, Father was in his usual spot and Mother was reading a book. Leo was complaining over something and I couldn't resist messing with him. "Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch over that, Leo."

He narrowed his eyes at me, standing up. "You are going to get it Raven." he warned, walking towards me. I got up, giggling loudly and evaded him. He chased me around the room repeatedly until I ran up the stairs halfway and jumped off of them from the railing, much to Draco's shock and Mother's horror. Leo stared at me in shock as I landed safely. Father and Crow were silent.

Mother stood up, furious. "RAVEN MANCER!" she boomed, making all of us jump. I froze in place as she walked over and grabbed me by the arm, not painfully but with a stern grip indicating that I was in huge trouble. "Never in my years have I seen such selfishness for safety! You could have hurt yourself!" she scolded, staring right into my eyes.

I shrank under her presence. "S-sorry, Mother. I-I won't do it again." I squeaked.

Mother looked at me with a stern glare. "You will be young lady. Go to your bedroom and stay in there until dinner, and give me your wand. You will have it back at dinner." she commanded. I nodded quickly and gave her my wand before heading up to my bedroom as fast as I could.

Draco was told by Mother not to see me until dinner as well so I was alone in my bedroom for the next four hours. I wasn't allowed to do anything when in trouble and I knew better than to attempt to do anything as Mother would be the one to come get me when my punishment was over.

With a quiet sigh, I entered my bedroom, closed the door and laid down in bed. This would be a long four hours. The first twenty minutes was just staring at the ceiling of my four poster bed, then I wandered around until I got bored and fell into bed and slept until Mother woke me up for dinner.

Needless to say, the rest of the evening was quiet.

 **\- -Wednesday, September 1, 1999- -**

It was early in the morning, eight o'clock to be precise. Draco was getting himself ready to go to Hogwarts for his first day of work as the new Potions Professor. While he was all packed, he was making sure he had everything before leaving. He was wearing his classic black suit, but had a black robe over it. I had to admit that he looked handsome in that outfit.

Unfortunately, Draco would be sleeping at Hogwarts for a few days to get everything settled. I'd be all alone for the next few days, which sucked, but Draco promised he'd Floo Call me every night before we went to bed, at least until he'd be able to come over here every night. He had his own private chambers to sleep in and it was connected to his office that was located in the Dungeons.

Thankfully, after a lot of work, we had a Floo Network set up to Hogwarts so he'd Floo himself there in a little bit.

Currently, I was in the Drawing Room sitting on the loveseat relaxing as Draco got his stuff brought down. I smiled at him as he walked down the stairs. He smiled back, set his last trunk down and sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Hey, Raven. Are you going to be alright with me gone for a few nights?" he asked softly, looking into my eyes.

"I will Draco, if I ever needed you, I'd Floo Call you in an instant." I answered, looking into his eyes. He smiled softly, kissing my cheek as everyone were heading to the dining room."How about we have breakfast with the others and visit one last time before I go." he suggested. I nodded and got up, walking with him to the dining room.

We ate a nice breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and a few other foods. I made myself a nice breakfast sandwich out of the toast, eggs and bacon, all of which tasted so good. I had orange juice with my breakfast while Draco had coffee. Once breakfast ended, Draco and I sat in the Drawing Room together, Draco letting me sit in his lap.

Father was sitting on one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace reading the Daily Prophet. Mother was reading a book and my brothers were talking. Leo was levitating a feather, a weird mix of interest and boredom on his face.

I let out a yawn and rested my head on Draco's chest. He responded by wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head. I smiled, looking up at him and he smiled back. "I'm going to miss you while at Hogwarts." he said quietly, resting his chin on the top of my head. "I'll miss you even more." I responded.

He chuckled. "You can't miss me more than I will miss you." he teased. I smiled, burying my head into his neck, his scent overwhelming my senses. I exhaled into his neck teasingly, feeling him shudder. I giggled softly and moved my head back down to his chest.

Time went by far too quickly for us and soon enough, Draco had to leave for Hogwarts. He grabbed his stuff, which was only two trunks with an Extension Charm on both. He kissed me goodbye and left through the fireplace. The reason for him having be there so early was to get situated at Hogwarts and get information from Headmistress McGonagall on his duties and unpack in his private chambers where he'd sleep.

Draco was aware of what he'd be doing as he and McGonagall had talked via owls for the last few weeks on his duties. He had planned the class lessons and all that.

I sighed once he was gone and sat down on the loveseat. I already missed him and he was gone for less than a minute. Leo looked over at me and frowned, noticing how sad I looked and stood up, walking over to me. "Raven, would you like to go to the backyard and fly on our Firebolts?" he asked. I nodded, standing up and going with him.

I was glad that he asked because the time went by so much faster flying around and it got my mind off things.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -**

I had to admit that I wished Raven had been able to join me at Hogwarts as a Professor, but she said she wouldn't be able to become a Professor for another two years to continue her training. She said that it was vital she learned everything in her training and I understood. Defence Against the Dark Arts isn't just about defensive spells. It was also knowing how to defend yourself against dark creatures as well.

The time had passed slowly when I arrived at my private chambers. I had unpacked and everything and spoke to Minerva for a few hours before speaking to Severus as he was still the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and would be until Raven took over. Severus and I spoke for another few hours and finally, the time was nearing for the students to arrive. I seated myself at the High Table next to Severus.

The students, minus the first years, arrived and sat down. A few of the older students saw me and began whispering to each other, much to my amusement. I gazed at the thousands of candles that floated above the tables.

My gaze moved to the doors as they opened, the first years walked in with Professor Sprout. She led them to the front, set down a stool and put the Sorting Hat on it where it began to sing. The song was cheerful and uplifting and all of us clapped when it finished it's song.

The Sorting began, I smiled when some were sorted into Slytherin. Some of the students were ignoring the Sorting and staring at me, now of which was getting annoying. One by one, each first year got sorted and went to their respective table. I clapped for all of them, but may have clapped louder for Slytherin.

Once it ended, Headmistress McGonagall stood up and began speaking. "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. Before we begin the Welcoming Feast, I would like to welcome our new Potions Master, Draco Malfoy."

I waved, grinning. The students and staff applauded for a few moments. She continued speaking after it ended.

"Now then, let the feast begin." she announced. Food appeared on the table, the first years gasping in surprise. I smiled fondly as I remembered my first year here.

Severus and I talked throughout the feast. I also spoke to the other staff members until the feast ended. The students were given the usual warning about the Forbidden Forest and to not use magic between classes in the corridors and excused everyone. I left to my private chambers, with the plan to Floo Call Raven and see how she's doing.

I really do miss her and I wish she could be here with me. It would be a lonely time for the both of us. Maybe I'll have her visit me secretly. I went to the door that led to my office, which my private chambers was connected to, entered and walked straight to my chambers. Grabbing a small handful of Floo powder, I tossed it into the fire and called, "Mancer Manor!" and called for Raven.

Her head appeared in the flames, she was smiling. "Draco!" she beamed. I smiled. "Hey Raven, how are you holding up there?" I asked, sitting on my knees.

"I really miss you to be honest. The moment you left, I had already begun missing you." she admitted, her voice sad. I smiled softly, nodding in agreement. "I miss you too, Raven. I want you to be here with me." I sighed, scratching the back of my head.

Her expression went from sadness to thoughtful. "Would you get in trouble for letting me stay overnight?" she questioned. I shrugged. "I do not know. Maybe not as long as you aren't distracting me from my job then it may be perfectly fine." I pondered. She nodded, her eyes on me.

"Could I come over? Even for a few minutes?" she asked with a small pout. I chuckled fondly. She is just too adorable. "Of course you can." I answered and moved back, standing up. She smiled and moments later, she stepped inside.

My smile widened and I pulled her into my arms, hugging her lovingly. "Hello love." I whispered, kissing the top of her head. She hummed softly, her head resting against my chest. I led her to my bed and we sat down. Raven sat between my legs, her head going back onto my chest. With a sigh, I looked at her. "You know what? You're going to stay here overnight." I declared.

Raven looked up at me in surprise. "Really? But what will I wear overnight? I don't have my night gown." she asked.

"You can just wear one of my shirts." I answered. A light blush formed on her cheeks. "Won't your shirts be really big on me?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, but why would that matter?" I questioned. She didn't answer so I got up and went to my dresser, dug around and pulled out one of my night shirts and tossed it to her. To my amusement, she didn't expect me to do that and it landed on her head. "Raven, you're supposed to catch it with your hands, not your head." I chuckled, grabbing my night clothes.

She pulled the shirt off and stuck her tongue out at me. I shook my head in amusement and changed into my night clothes. Just as I finished buttoning up my night shirt, I felt something land on my head and heard giggling from Raven. Reaching my hand up, I pulled a black thigh high sock off my head and chuckled upon seeing it. "Raven, don't throw your stinky socks at me." I teased and tossed it back at her.

I heard her scoff in mock offense and she threw her other sock at me, to which I dodged with ease while laughing. Looking over at her, she was already wearing my shirt and I had to admit that she looked very cute. It was huge on her, but I liked it. I motioned for her to follow me to the bathroom so we could get our teeth brushed, I gave her a spare to use. Raven removed her eye makeup and washed her face afterwards. I personally liked it when she skipped the makeup, but she looked beautiful with or without it either way.

Finally, I led her to the bed and laid down, pulling her into my arms and kissing her head. "Goodnight Raven." I whispered. "Goodnight, Draco." she whispered back, the both of us falling asleep for the night.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	21. Chapter 21

((I really hope you all enjoy this chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 21: Classes and Roses- -**

 **\- -Draco's POV- -Thursday, September 2, 1999- -**

First day as Potions Professor and I was feeling nervous. Raven was just about to head back to the manor, but she said I'd do great, but jokingly said not make any first years wet themselves when I introduced myself to them. I chuckled at that statement, and responded that I'd try not to, but being a Malfoy may scare a few.

With a quick goodbye and a kiss, Raven left and I finished preparing myself and left for the Great Hall to join the staff for breakfast. Severus was still the Head of Slytherin so he'd be passing out the timetables. Since I was a Professor now, I could refer the staff by their first name or as a Professor.

Upon entering the Great Hall and seating myself at the High Table, I spoke to some of the staff while students slowly began coming in. Food had already appeared on the tables so I began filling my plate with whatever looked good and ate slowly. I'd be teaching a third year class today.

I spoke to Severus when he arrived, the topic being Defence Against the Dark Arts as I was curious about how much more Raven would be training, despite already know how long she would be. He was informed by her about the training she did daily. He explained it would be a couple of years as to perfect her skills. I sighed sadly, having to work when Raven couldn't join was sad, but I'd get through it.

Tonight however, Raven would not be able to sleep with me in my chambers, much to her disappointment when I told her when we got up. I'd still Floo Call her though, which cheered her up somewhat and we planned a time to talk each night.

"Hey, Draco!" called a Slytherin student. I looked up and chuckled, recognising the student. "That's Professor Malfoy to you." I stated, grinning. A few of the staff chuckled while the student rolled his eyes and sat down at the Slytherin table.

I finished eating as Severus passed out the timetables to the Slytherins. With a final drink of coffee, I left the Great Hall to prepare for class, walking towards the Dungeons to the Potions classroom. It wouldn't happen until third period so I had some time on my hands to get the lesson ready.

Time passed and soon enough, third period arrived and the third years walked in. I watched them all come in and I stood up once they all seated. It was time. I took a subtle deep breath and began to speak. "Welcome to Potions class. I am Professor Malfoy and-" I was interrupted by a Gryffindor student. "We know who you are. You were student last year."

I gave them a stern glare and strode towards them in a similar fashion to Severus, but with Malfoy flare. "Just because you knew me as a student does not mean you can just interrupt me." I warned, my tone serious.

"That brings me to my rules. First of all, you not be rude to me or any other student. It does not matter if you are in opposite Houses, or if you hate each other. You be respectful to one another regardless. Disobey or attempt to make another student lash out and you will be punished by Professor Snape or myself and lose points. I will not give anyone special treatment based on the House you are in."

I strode back to my desk and faced them. "Second, any attempts to sabotage someone else's potion will immediately receive two days of detention and lose points. Third, I will not tolerate any prejudice towards students of blood status. If I hear anyone speaking rudely or using rude terms, you will receive a week or more of detention and lose points. Lastly, slacking off is not tolerated and you will lose points as well."

The third years were silent and wide eyed. I meant what I said and they well knew it just by my tone of voice. After letting the rules set in, I cleared my throat. "Now then, onto the lesson. Pull out your equipment and turn to page ten of your Potions textbook. Today, you will be brewing the Shrinking Solution."

The students got their textbooks and equipment out, put their cauldrons on the tables and began their work. I walked around, watching carefully to make sure if any of the students appear to be having difficulty, I would aid them.

Class went by smoothly and I assigned them some homework. With a wave of my hand, they were dismissed. I sighed in relief and smiled at my first time teaching.

Later on, after dinner ended and entering my chambers, I Floo Called Raven. She answered quickly and sounded very happy to hear me when I explained how my first day went. We talked for a little bit and I confirmed with her that she could come visit on Friday through the weekend. I bid her goodnight and I turned in for the night. It had definitely been more difficult to sleep without having Raven by my side and my arms felt empty without her there to hold close.

 **\- -Friday, September 3, 1999- -**

Today, I would be teaching the first years in Potions. Again, I'd be telling them rules and warning them of the consequences of disobeying. I was waiting in the classroom now as breakfast had just ended.

A few minutes later and the first years came in, sat down and I began speaking, giving them the same rules, but spoke in a kinder yet stern voice. I assigned them to brewing the Cure for Boils potion and they began working. Like last time, I strode around the classroom, watching carefully for any students needing help or any trouble makers or slackers.

Halfway through the class, one small Hufflepuff first year who reminded me of Neville was having trouble and his potion wasn't looking right. He was shaking and tears were brimming in the corners of his eyes. I looked at him with worry and he saw me looking, which only made him more nervous as he added the wrong ingredient and the cauldron melted.

I rushed over to his aid in an instant. He pleaded for me not to punish him and apologized profusely. With a wave of my wand, the melted cauldron and it's contents were removed. I got down on one knee and spoke to him gently. "Hey, hey, it's alright, you are not in any trouble. Let me help you restart the potion and I can give you some pointers on the steps." I explained softly.

He sniffled and nodded. I helped him out and watched as he slowly got the hang of it. I told the other students who were distracted to get back to their work. I watched the Hufflepuff student and kept an eye out for the rest of the class.

I offered to give the Hufflepuff student extra help outside of class if he ever needed it, which the boy accepted happily and left with the rest of his classmates.

The second years soon came in, I gave them the same lecture on the rules and had them begin brewing a Sleeping Draught. Same thing with watching them and walking around the classroom.

My day went by fairly good, although during the class with the fourth years, I had a trouble maker and punished her accordingly (she was trying to throw an ingredient into someone else's potion).

With the day over, dinner passed by quickly and I graded some homework until it was time to Floo Call Raven. She was happy as she would be staying to visit for the weekend. Minerva became aware of Raven staying and allowed her to stay on Fridays and weekends as long as she did not disrupt me from doing my work.

Both of us were very pleased to hear this and Raven was looking very happy telling by that big smile she had and the way her emerald green eyes shined brightly.

It was nearly time for the both of us to sleep for the night. We had already dressed into our night clothes and brushed our teeth and we were currently laying in bed. I was braiding Raven's hair without much thought and she was humming softly while I did this. I could feel myself growing more and more tired and I soon fell asleep, Raven falling asleep not long after.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Tuesday, December 21, 1999- -**

It's been a few months since Draco began his job as the Potions Professor. We had grown used to the limited time we could spend together, but spent every evening talking when I couldn't see him in person. He's dealt with quite a few students who were rude and all that but he gave them plenty of detention and docked points from their Houses.

Draco and I were currently talking via Floo Call, trying to figure out if we'd spend Christmas here at the manor or if he'd invite me to Hogwarts to spend Christmas there. With a lot of talking, we decided to spend it here because according to Draco, he'd rather spend his first Christmas at Hogwarts as a Professor when I became one so we could spend it together.

He informed me that he'd be coming in a few hours and we ended the Floo Call. I sighed contently and stretched, stood up and laid down on the loveseat. With a small yawn, I closed my eyes and took a small nap.

Later on, Draco arrived while I was napping and smiled fondly before waking me up. "Raven. I'm here." he said softly into my ear. I stirred softly, opening my eyes and smiled when I saw his silver eyes and hugged Draco lovingly. He hugged me back, literally picking me up from the loveseat and held me so that my feet were above the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck as a result while he rested his forehead against mine, our eyes locking.

He smiled, giving me a quick kiss. "Now we can spend some quality time together." he said, setting me down and looking at the Drawing Room. It was beautifully decorated with Christmas decor. Tree garland was lined along the walls and covered with various ornaments. A large Christmas tree sat in the corner, covered in beautiful silver and gold garland and various ornaments and candles that won't burn the Christmas tree.

"Your manor always looks beautiful during Christmas." he commented, smiling. I smiled as well, stretching and yawning. Draco sat down with a small grunt, I joined him and snuggled up to his side. He smiled and wrapped an arm around me. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was only three in the afternoon.

"So, what do you wanna do today, Draco?" I asked, looking up at him. He shrugged, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. I giggled softly and readjusted my position and rested my head on Draco's lap. He moved his hand and started running his fingers through my hair. I sighed contently, closing my eyes and falling back asleep. He soon fell asleep as well.

Leo and Crow came down an hour later and saw us sleeping, but they both left us alone seeing that we were relaxed and at peace. Mother later entered the Drawing Room, but she woke us up since dinner would be ready in an hour. I stretched and yawned, sitting up. I heard Draco groan as he stretched as well, his joints popping in the process.

"Wanna go outside and play in the snow for a bit before dinner starts?" I asked, giggling. He looked at me like I was insane. "It's dark outside and cold. Do you really think I want to go out there?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, I guess I'll have fun without you then." I giggled and grabbed my coat and winter accessories, put them on and left for the backyard. He groaned and sat back against the loveseat.

Once I went outside, which was lit up with lanterns and the walkways were cleared of snow and ice, I snuck towards the front where the window to the Drawing Room was and grinned evilly, grabbing a handful of snow and threw it at the window. The loveseat Draco was sitting on was in front of the window and the snowball hit it will a thud. A blonde head appeared in an instant and Draco looked at the window.

I grinned and waved at him when he spotted me and I threw another snowball, hitting the window exactly where his face was. He jumped back as the snow spread along the glass and I couldn't resist laughing at the look on his face. A mischievous smirk formed on his face and he flicked his wand at something and I was suddenly covered in snow that the tree I was standing below fell.

I shrieked at the cold and glared at Draco, who was doubled over in laughter. I threw more snowballs at the window in response, but he just stuck his tongue out and grinned. With a huff, I walked away from where I was standing and roamed around the yard, the lanterns letting me see where I was walking. Looking around, I jumped into a pile of snow and made a snow angel while giggling.

Draco really was missing out, but that was his loss. I know he hates the cold, but even a few minutes wouldn't hurt him. After making several snow angels, I went to the backyard and entered the manor, casting a Hot-Air charm on myself to melt the snow off my clothes and dry them.

My cheeks and the tip of my nose were red from the cold outside, my nose was also slightly runny as a result. I walked to the Drawing Room, took of my coat and winter accessories and sat down next to Draco, who looked at me and chuckled as I sniffled. "What?" I asked, gazing at him. He shook his head, not saying anything.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned against the back of the loveseat and relaxed. My stomach began to rumble as dinner neared, much to Draco's amusement and his hand rested on it, much to my confusion. I smacked his hand softly, but he didn't move it, only grinned and chuckled. "Why is my stomach interesting to you, Draco?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, looking at me. I stuck my tongue out and scooted closer to him, our bodies touching. I felt his arm snake around my side affectionately. Finally, dinner was ready and we went to the dining room and ate a nice dinner. All of us talked casually, Draco talked about how his work at Hogwarts has been so far. I smiled as he talked, listening to him going on and on about it.

Eventually we all talked about other things. My training with my uncles was going well, which Draco was happy to hear about and asked what was going on with that so I talked to him about the things I was learning to defend myself against and all that until dinner ended.

Draco and I went upstairs to relax for the rest of the night. When we entered my bedroom, both of us changed into our night clothes and laid down. Draco sighed happily, muttering something about being glad to be in a real bed. I had to agree, the bed he sleeps in at Hogwarts is not even close to as comfortable as mine.

He fell asleep quickly and it wasn't even seven o'clock yet. At least he'll be well rested. I got up and brushed my teeth, removed my eye makeup and washed my face afterwards before laying back down in bed. I felt myself get pulled into a bear hug by Draco, his scent hitting my nose in an instant, relaxing me and I snuggled up to him, falling asleep as well.

 **\- -Friday, December 24, 1999- -**

A lot more snow has fallen. It was snowing now, but lightly and it was peaceful. Draco finally joined me outside and I ended up covered in snow again when he made some fall off one of the trees. I waited until he wasn't looking and then stuffed some snow down the back of his shirt. He yelped and jumped around while I laughed so hard that I began coughing.

He glared at me after shaking the snow out of his clothes and walked towards me slowly, a determined look on his face. I looked up, my cheeks red from the cold and laughing, and backed away as he approached me. He walked faster, grinning evilly before breaking into a run. I squealed and ran, but the snow was slippery so I ended up slipping and falling in the snow.

Draco laughed and jumped onto me, his arms wrapping around me. I squealed again and laughed as he held me to him. What I didn't expect was a handful of snow being shoved into my shirt and I let out a shriek from the cold making contact with my skin. I tried to get the stuff out while Draco rolled around in the snow in laughter.

Once I got the snow out, I looked up and grinned, we were under another tree so I used my wand to knock snow off of it and it all landed on him. He yelped and shook his head, glaring at me once again. I smiled innocently and laid down in the snow, sighing contently while Draco stood up and wiped the snow off his body. He laid down next to me, both of us adjusting our positions to view the cloudy sky as snow continued to fall gently.

It was peaceful, watching the snow fall and laying together. As we watched the snowfall, a mistletoe formed above us. I smiled and looked at Draco, who smiled as well and leaned in. I leaned in as well, kissing him lovingly, our hands moving together and our fingers intertwined. Oh, how I loved this time of year with Draco.

We both sat up eventually and walked around. I stuck my tongue out to catch snowflakes, much to Draco's amusement. I got him to do it as well, although he did it reluctantly. Either way, it was fun seeing him catch snowflakes on his tongue.

We later went inside and talked to Leo and Crow for most of the day, had a nice dinner and later spent our time in my bedroom until we fell asleep.

 **\- -Draco's POV- -Monday, February 14, 2000- -**

Three years ago on this day, I had confessed to Raven that I loved her. It was my favorite moment, one of many I had with her, and yet I had been so nervous telling her despite knowing she loved me already and would've been so happy hearing me confess to her.

Even if Pansy didn't reveal Raven's feelings towards me at the beginning (I still hate that Pansy did it, seeing Raven look so miserable was hard to watch.), I would've found out eventually without Raven telling me herself like she had originally planned. I noticed the signs at one point, but didn't think much of it.

Since this day was important to the both of us, I had Floo Called Raven earlier today and talked to her, asking if she would come stay over here tonight at Hogwarts so we could spend time together. To my surprise though, she said we could wait until this weekend to do that, but I refused and kept asking her to the point I was about to beg and plead. She relented and said okay in an amused voice.

I smiled thoughtfully, and waited for the sixth year students to arrive for Potions. Once they arrived, I assigned them the potion they'd be brewing and explained the details, asked them what they knew and all that.

Halfway through the class, I took notice of a student not paying attention. In fact, she had a 'I don't care' look on her face as she twirled a quill in her fingers. I stopped speaking and faced her. "Melissa, kindly pay attention if you want to pass my class." I ordered.

She looked at me with an annoyed stare and rested her arms on the table. "I don't see any point in potion making for my future, why should I learn it?" she said casually.

I strode over to her, putting my hands on the table. "Because if you do not want a detention, a reduction in House points, and failing my class then I suggest getting a better attitude and learn about potions whether you like it or not." I stated in a deathly calm tone, staring at the girl.

She shuddered visibly, not saying a word. I moved back to my spot and continued talking without another problem for the rest of the class.

After classes were over and dinner was done, I left to my chambers, looking forward to having Raven stay overnight.

 **\- -Raven's POV- -**

Draco had told me to see him in his private chambers at Hogwarts as he wanted to spend time with me for this day, regardless of the fact that he had to work tomorrow. I did try to tell him that we could spend time together for this day this weekend instead, but damn, Draco is more stubborn than I expected and he argued with me until I finally gave in, shaking my head in amusement.

So I had waited until eight o'clock, which was when he wouldn't be busy and floo'd to his private chambers, where I was greeted with a loving hug and a kiss from the lovable blonde. I felt something be put in my hair so naturally I felt it and realized that it was a rose clip. Probably a black rose since that was my favorite flower after all.

Draco smiled at me affectionately and led me to his bed, which was never going to match the quality of my bed at the manor, which Draco had a habit of talking about when I stayed with him during the weekends. In fact, the beds in the House Dorms are better than this crappy bed he's stuck sleeping on.

Anyway, I sat down and snuggled up to Draco, who held me close. "I'm glad you came, Raven." he whispered. I smiled, resting my head on his chest. "I still think this is risky for you, but I'm happy to be here." I whispered back, wrapping my arms around his chest.

"It's worth the risk, Raven. Now, let's spend some quality time together. It's been weeks since we even got to be in the same room." he said softly, running his fingers through my hair gently. I relaxed to his touch, smiling. We talked for the next few hours, laughing and messing around.

We soon decided to change into our night clothes. Draco tossed me one of his shirts again, which I changed into. Once changed, I hugged my knees to my chest while he buttoned up the top of his night shirt. I giggled softly, grabbing one of the pillows. Draco looked at me as I giggled. "What are you doing with that pillow, Raven?" he asked.

I grinned innocently. "Oh, nothing." I said. He narrowed his eyes and slowly walked towards me. I held the pillow in front of my face, giggling. He chuckled, grabbed the pillow and pushed it down with little effort and grinned at me. "You can't hide from me that easily, Raven." he purred, taking the pillow from my hands.

A shiver ran down my spine at his voice as our eyes locked and my pupils dilated slightly, a small blush forming. I mentally shook off the feeling and laid down, smiling. "Lay with me Draco." I coaxed, throwing my arms above my head on the pillows.

Draco looked at me, smiling. "Why?" he asked teasingly. I mock glared at him. "Because I want to feel all that love you seem to radiate when with me." I answered, smiling fondly. He smiled and crawled into bed, pulling me into his arms. He hummed softly, his chest vibrating. I could hear his heart beating gently as I rested my head against his chest.

I felt him lift an arm and seconds later the blanket was covering us. It didn't take long for the both of us to get tired, but we talked for a while before falling asleep. Thankfully, we didn't stay up too late and Draco got plenty of sleep for work the next day.

 **\- -Sunday, April 23, 2000- -**

It was the evening of Easter. We had eaten a delicious Easter dinner over an hour ago and all of us retired to our bedrooms since we were quite stuffed. Draco came for Easter and he was currently standing next to me as we stood on the deck staring outside. It was finally dark outside and we were gazing at the stars.

I gazed over at Draco at just the right moment: His nose twitched for a second before he inhaled and let out a loud sneeze. I snorted softly and began giggling. "I think everyone at Hogwarts heard that Draco." I jested, giggling.

He rolled his eyes and sniffled, grinning. I looked back at the sky, staring at the stars, Draco doing the same. A few minutes later, both of us saw a bright shooting star, it was beautiful. "Make a wish Raven." he whispered. I smiled, wishing silently, _"I wish for a special event to happen between Draco and I someday."_

Draco noticed my smile grew wider when I silently made my wish. "What did you wish for?" he asked softly, gazing at me. I looked at him and smiled innocently. "I don't want to ruin the wish by saying what it is."

He pouted and looked back at the sky, his eyes focused on a constellation. I watched the sky, hoping for another shooting star. To my surprise about twenty minutes later, another shooting star streaked across the night sky. I smiled and looked at Draco. "Make your wish Draco."

Little did I know that he wished for something that would correspond to my own wish. He smiled at me and we both continued gazing at the stars. I pointed out the constellation Draco was named after and soon saw the one Leo was named after. I sighed softly, stretching and rested my arms on the railing.

It was silent for a while, but it was broken when Draco sneezed again, making me jump at the unexpected sound. He snickered quietly, looking at me in amusement. I mock glared at him and stuck my tongue out. He only chuckled, wrapping an arm around my side. "I think it's about time we went inside and get ready for bed." I said.

He grunted in response, nodding. I went inside and began changing into my nightgown. Draco walked by, closed the back door and slapped me on the butt, making me squeal while he snickered. Rubbing the spot he slapped with one hand, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at the back of his head. It hit him some good force, messing up his hair and his head jerked forward. He turned around and glared at me while I just smiled innocently.

Draco grabbed the pillow and threw it back at me, hitting me in the face. I giggled and jumped into bed, sitting up on my knees. Draco looked at me in amusement, smiling fondly. "Let's brush our teeth and then lay down for the night, Raven. We can talk until we fall asleep." he said, now wearing his night clothes and walked into the bathroom. I crawled out of bed and joined him, brushed my teeth, removed my makeup and washed my face.

We soon laid down in bed, extinguished the candles and talked late into the night until we both fell asleep peacefully.

 **\- -Monday, July 17, 2000- -**

A couple of months have passed. Draco had a great time so far in his first year as a professor. He dealt with many students who were quite rude, but they were given proper punishment. Many other students were neutral and did what they were told. Draco did find amusement in the ones who didn't feel like they didn't need to do Potions when it's actually very important.

While Draco and I didn't have a lot of time together other than on the holidays and weekends, but not every weekend was available as he had work to do. We enjoyed the moments we could, talking to each other via the Floo Network for a small amount of time.

On days he had the chances on, he worked on fixing his family name and just two days ago, he cleared it completely. The Daily Prophet ate this up and it spread around the news of the Malfoy family, starting with him of course, were no longer being associated with the Dark Arts and stuff like that.

Today, Draco was celebrating, which Father encouraged as it was a huge achievement to clear after his family name went centuries of being known as Pure-blood Supremacists. Sure his mother still held these beliefs, but as Draco said before, it starts with him that the Malfoys are no longer in these beliefs or anything dark related.

The celebration wasn't even that big, but it was enough. I knew Draco was happy and to have his name cleared was a huge relief, but even now I knew some people may not believe that he's against the dark side. Not much we can do there currently, but it didn't matter.

All of us were in the backyard to celebrate. It was a lovely evening, while it wasn't dark outside yet, the lanterns were lit up. There was a gentle breeze and it was pleasantly warm. Food and drinks were served, Draco had a glass of champagne in his hand as he sat on a chair, staring at me. I was wearing my bikini and sitting on the edge of the pool where it was shallow, my legs dangling in the water. I actually put my hair up into a ponytail for once (something I rarely do) so that it would be easier to manage after swimming.

I looked over at Leo as he stood in the pool, eyeing me with a mischievous grin. Crow was talking idly to Mother and Father. I heard the chair creak behind me and a pair of hands suddenly grabbed my shoulders, making me shriek in surprise. Draco's laughter could be heard behind me, giving me a good idea who was behind the act.

"Draco Malfoy, you are going to get it!" I warned, getting up in an instant and glaring at him as he laughed. He looked at me with an innocent grin and backed away. I walked towards him and he backed away more until he bumped into one of the tables. I smiled. "Got nowhere to go now, Draco." I said, reaching my hand out and grabbing his arm, pulling him towards me.

His eyes narrowed as I slowly pulled him towards the pool. He was stronger than I was though and freed his arm and grabbed me, picking me up bridal style. I squeaked, my eyes darting towards his own as he grinned. "Nice try, my little blackbird." he said in amusement.

"Throw her in the pool!" called Leo. I glared at him and then gave Draco a warning glare. "Don't even try, Draco." I warned. He chuckled and sat down on the chair, still holding me. "Don't plan on it anyway."

Leo made an annoyed sound to my amusement while Draco ran his fingers through my hair. "I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair up like this." he commented, now braiding my hair. I giggled softly, relaxing to his touch. "I prefer to keep my hair down most of the time. Today, I just decided it would be easier to maintain by putting it up."

Draco smiled and leaned back against the chair, sighing happily. "I am so glad that my name has been cleared. It's like a heavy weight is finally off my shoulders."

I laid myself against his torso, smiling. "Now things will be easier. You don't have to worry about anything from now on." I said, looking up at him. He nodded, grabbing his glass of champagne and took a sip of it. "How's the drink?"

"Perfect." he answered simply. Both of us looked towards the pool and saw Leo and Crow wrestling in the water. I couldn't help but laugh at their antics, plus it was rare to see them both doing stuff like that together. I felt Draco's body shake as he chuckled in amusement as he wrapped his arm around my midsection.

"Mmm, I might grab myself some food. Maybe frigărui or mititei." I said, almost drooling. Draco chuckled and moved his arm away to let me get up. "Would you like anything to eat, Draco?" I asked, walking over to the large table filled with food. He nodded, looking in my direction. "Maybe one of those stuffed peppers?" he asked.

"The ardei umpluţi?" I specified and he nodded again. I grabbed our food and handed him his plate and we both ate. I got myself a glass of champagne and drank it with my meal, as did Draco. Leo and Crow soon left the pool to eat as well while Mother and Father talked idly.

It began to get dark, but the lights of the pool (super bright lanterns hidden behind glass in the pool) turned on so swimming at night is possible, although Mother refuses to let us do that. I decided to take advantage of the little time left and jumped into the pool. Leo joined in and Draco did so a few minutes later.

Mother scolded us for going in after eating, but we ignored her statements. Draco dove underwater and swam towards me before surfacing underneath me so that I'd sit on his shoulders. Giggling, I gazed down at him as he grabbed my hands so that I wouldn't fall. "I hope I'm not too heavy." I commented, giggling.

He shook his head and looked up at me with a grin. "Light as a feather, Raven. light as a feather."

Time seemed to pass quickly and soon enough, all of us retired to the Drawing Room after drying off and changing. I relaxed in Draco's lap while he talked to the others. I slowly fell asleep, not being woken up even when Draco carried me to bed for the night.

 **\- -Monday, December 25, 2000- -**

The months since Draco clearing his name had gone by far too quickly and it was already Christmas again. Draco as doing well with his job as a Potions Professor, even became the Head of Slytherin this year. I would be the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor next year, something I was looking forward to.

It was absolutely beautiful today. Snow covered everything in a even layer and it was snowing lightly outside, the flakes landing in my hair and in Draco's hair. Our breath could be seen as we breathed from the cold. It was so peaceful.

Despite the peaceful feeling however, Draco was acting rather strange. He was acting all nervous and stuttered a bit when he talked. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I was curious about his strange behavior. I know a few weeks ago he had left to buy something, but refused to tell me what he got.

I felt him hold my hand as we watched the snow fall gently. We stood by the rose bushes in the backyard while watching the snow. My focus on the snow was interrupted when Draco sighed contently, a smile on his face. I smiled, looking up at him. "Happy?" I asked quietly.

He nodded, took a deep breath and turned to face me, his eyes were a bright silver and he began to speak. "Raven Mancer, you've given me the happiness I have always wanted. You've always been there for me when I needed it most. You gave me the protection and safety I thought was impossible to get in sixth year. And most of all, you gave me the chance to know what it's like to be in love."

Draco pulled out a black box and he got down on one knee and opened it, revealing a diamond platinum ring. I covered my mouth as he spoke again. "Raven Mancer, will you marry me?" he proposed.

I nodded fast, tears welling up in my eyes. "Yes! Yes, of course!" I answered, completely overjoyed. Draco smiled widely, pulled off my glove and slipped the ring on my finger, stood up and hugged me tight. I hugged him back, crying joyfully.

We were now engaged, and I couldn't be happier. I looked up at Draco, wiping away the tears from my cheeks. "Was this your big present for me, Draco?" I asked. He only nodded, kissing me lovingly.

The cold soon got to us and we went inside for some hot cocoa and took off our winter coats and accessories, I removed my emerald ring and set it in a box in my bedroom for I would no longer wear it now. Both of us were wearing black sweaters and pants, although in my case, they were thick leggings. With a large mug of hot cocoa, we sat down on the loveseat. I couldn't wait to see Mother's reaction when she sees the ring on my hand.

It didn't take long before Leo and Crow came down. I waved to them with a big smile. "Hello!" I greeted excitedly.

Both of them chuckled. "Someone's happy. Did something happen, Raven?" asked Leo. I giggled, covering my mouth with the very hand the ring was on. "Yes." I answered simply.

Crow was the first to notice and he walked over. "Hold on! Is that-? Raven, are you engaged?!" he asked excitedly. I nodded and he hugged me happily. Leo stormed over with a grin. "You proposed to her, Draco?" he asked and got a yes in response.

"Do not tell Mother and Father, I want them to see it first hand." I warned, grinning. "We won't, don't worry. Congratulations you two!" said Crow, who was smiling.

It was during dinner that Mother and Father would find out. Leo, Crow and I were grinning a lot more than usual, which got Mother and Father looking at us weirdly. "Dd you guys come up with a new joke and not tell me? Why are you all giggling?" asked Father amusingly. I rested my chin on my hand. "Well, it isn't a joke and it's better than a joke." I responded, smiling.

Father saw the diamond in my ring shine and he stood up abruptly, looking overjoyed. "Raven, are you engaged?" he asked. Mother looked at me and grabbed my hand, staring at the diamond ring.

"Yes I am. Draco proposed to me earlier today." I answered, Draco wrapped an arm around my side, a loving smile on his face. Both of us jumped when Mother lost her cool, in a good way, and practically shrieked, pulling me out of Draco's grip and hugging me tightly. "Oh my god!" was all she could say, but she was overjoyed as well.

She pulled away, her hands on my shoulders. "When is the wedding? Who are you inviting. What dress will you-"

"Mother! Enough! We haven't started that plan yet. We will tell you when we figure that all out." I interrupted, laughing. Draco was laughing as well. Mother sighed, smiling. "My apologies, Raven. I am just overjoyed that you are engaged."

I smiled and sat down, Draco once again wrapping his arm around my side. Father was grinning widely, as were my brothers. The rest of the day went by smoothly after that, Draco and I talked late into the night planning.

 **\- -February through May 2001- -**

All of our friends were told of my engagement to Draco and all of them had positive responses from, "Congratulations!" to "I hoped you two would get married!" and "I knew he'd propose to you!" The rest of my family were told and got positive responses as well. Many wished us well and that the wedding is successful.

I had gotten my wedding dress and accessories. We both planned the day for our wedding, which would be held in June this year. We knew who'd be invited and Draco had asked if Narcissa could be invited, which I allowed as she deserved to witness Draco being married after all. Draco did doubt she'd come, but it was worth a shot.

Harry and Lilia had gotten engaged recently, but their wedding date was unknown at the moment. Midna, Opal and Pearl were all single currently, but they didn't mind. I recently heard that my cousins Zeus and Hadrian had girlfriends now as well.

All of us were planning out the wedding for it to be perfect. Draco was taking a bit time off to help plan with me and Mother. All in all, I looked forward to the wedding and I was very happy to be getting married to Draco.

 **\- -Friday, June 15, 2001- -((A/N: This event has photos on Wattpad, I suggest going there to view them.))**

The day of our wedding. I couldn't believe it was finally here. Draco and I agreed to remain separated and we wouldn't see each other until I was walking down the aisle. I was currently in the Dressing Room getting ready.

I had just applied a thin line of eyeliner and I was now applying a shimmery white eyeshadow. Mother was helping me out and she applied a very, very light dusting of light pink blush to my cheeks. Once that was all done, I stood up and went to put my wedding dress and accessories on. My usual black nail polish was replaced with clear polish instead.

I first put on my white floral lace garter belt to my left thigh, it had five petaled flowers with pearls on them, then slipped on my sheer white thigh highs. Next was my white dress shoes, which were flats with floral lace on the toes with a few clusters of pearls and a white ribbon tied around my ankles gently.

Next came my gloves, which were a floral lace as well and there was a loop for my middle fingers (they were a type of fingerless gloves). They tied to my wrists with white ribbon and on top of the gloves was a white bow.

My white wedding dress came next, it was ankle length and simply beautiful. At first glance, it looked like a two piece set: A strapless silk dress and a floral lace, long sleeved top with a sheer white skirt, but it's actually all one piece. In the middle of the dress was a white ribbon with a small bow on the left side.

After putting it on, Mother came and did my hair: She left my hair down on my request, but curled the ends to give it light waves. Then she put my pearl tiara in my hair that had a sheer white veil that hung to my shoulders. My jewelry came next: A beautiful white lace choker with pearls and pearl earrings.

Once I put on my pearl earrings, I stood in front of the full body mirror and smiled. It was almost time for me to go. Mother had tears in her eyes as she looked at me, covering her mouth with her hand. "My daughter is getting married." she murmured, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing her eyes of the tears that welled up.

I grabbed my bouquet of flowers (white roses with baby's breath) and waited with my father as he'd walked me down the aisle. He smiled seeing me all ready to go, even had a few tears in his eyes. I peeked out the little window and saw the flower girls spreading flower petals down the aisle. I was feeling excited, but a small bubble of anxiety was present.

Mother went to sit down with everyone else outside while Father stayed next to me as we waited for the time to go down the aisle. Time felt slow, but it soon it came and Father began walking me down the aisle as music played. This was all outside, there were long cords covered in fake white wisteria flowers. Lanterns with white candles hung on the cords as well. The scent of roses was in the air.

Everyone turned to face us, I smiled and looked straight ahead. Draco was standing in the front wearing a white wedding tuxedo, he was looking at me in awe and my smile grew bigger. He smiled at me, his eyes shimmering a beautiful silver that seemed to be filled with love.

Father sat down while I stood with Draco. His smile grew and we both looked at the officiant, who began to speak. "Ladies and gentleman, we are here today to witness the union of Draco Malfoy and Raven Mancer. Their love for one another could not be stronger. It came at a time of war and hardship, and their love helped get them through it all. No two souls were ever more connected than theirs."

The officiant faced us. "They have chosen to recite their own vows. Draco will go first."

Draco smiled and looked at me. "I, Draco, take you Raven, to be my wife, my friend, my lover, and mother of our future children. I will cherish, protect, and love you for all eternity. I will be a devoted husband to you and my love for you will be strong even through the toughest of times and I will be there for you during those times. Always." he recited, taking my left hand and putting the platinum diamond ring on my ring finger.

The officiant looked at me. "And you now, Raven."

I smiled and looked at Draco. "I, Raven, take you Draco, to be my husband, my friend, my lover and father of our future children. I will be there when you are at your lowest point. I will cherish our love, protect you fiercely, and love you for all eternity. My love for you will be strong through the toughest moments in our life and I will be there for you during those times. Always." I recited, putting the platinum ring on Draco's ring finger.

The officiant smiled and spoke. "I now pronounce you Husband and Wife, you may kiss the bride."

Draco leaned in, as did I and we kissed. It was the most beautiful moment as everyone began clapping and cheering. Time seemed to stop as we kissed and we didn't even notice that there were people around us. The moment was perfect. We ended the kiss and turned to face everyone. The officiant spoke one last time. "Ladies and gentleman, I now introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy!"

Everyone cheered and clapped. Draco held my hand and we both went down the aisle as everyone began to shower us with rice. We went to another part of the outside area where later today in the evening, about an hour from now, Draco and I would have our first dance together. Draco stood with me and smiled, looking into my eyes. "You look absolutely beautiful, Raven. I have to admit that I was speechless when I saw you appear in the aisle."

I smiled, looking into his eyes. "Thank you. You look very handsome, Draco. I look forward to what happens from now on." I said happily, smiling widely. Draco leaned in and gave me a quick kiss. The others showed up, all of our friends waved, looking all excited, some of the girls had tears in their eyes. My family entered, and Narcissa came in. She was smiling as she was happy to hear about us getting married regardless of how she feels towards me.

Draco led me to a table where we sat down. We talked to everyone as the evening approached, dinner came and ended and Draco and I got to cut the wedding cake when it arrived. It was fun and soon enough it was time to go to the middle of the room so Draco and I could share our first dance together.

The music began to play, it was a beautiful song. We danced together, Draco having me do small spins which made the skirt of my dress spread out beautifully. Everyone watched in awe as we danced. We stared into each others eyes, bright silver meeting shimmering emerald. Once again, time seemed to stop and it felt like we danced for hours by the time the song ended.

Draco pulled me in for a gentle kiss when the dance ended. This entire day was just perfect. We spent a little bit longer with our family and friends before it ended. Draco and I left to go on our honeymoon that would last eight days in a beautiful house that had the appearance of a large cottage and I couldn't wait to be there.

With a handful of Floo powder, since we were taking the Floo Network to the house, Draco tossed the powder into the flames, called the destination and we disappeared through the flames.

After a few moments, we entered the house and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. We were in the main room, which had several comfortable looking loveseats together with a plush throw rug in the middle of them. However, since we were rather tired, we decided to head to the bedroom.

Inside was a large bed, a large window that doubled as a door to a nice patio. The decor was fairly typical of a bedroom in the Wizarding World. Candles provided gentle lighting, the smell of roses was in the air, and it was peacefully quiet. I walked over to the bed with Draco and sat down on it happily, taking off my flats and kicking them to the side. "Mmm, much better." I sighed, laying on my back.

The bed dipped where Draco climbed in and crawled over, pulling me to him and kissing me more eagerly. My arms wrapping around his neck, deepening the kiss. I could feel his hands roaming my body, one going to the middle of my back and the other just below the back of my neck.

With a quiet moan into the kiss, it broke and we pulled away, our pupils dilated. One thing leads to another and we made love for our first night of our honeymoon. It was passionate and beautiful and full of love.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	22. Chapter 22

((This was the roughest chapter to write as I faced many issues while trying to write this, like my writing schedule had been messed up but it's fixed now, got sick with a nasty cold and then had an eye infection caused by my cold so this was just so _fun_.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 22: Honeymoons, Defence Professors and a Special Surprise- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Saturday, June 16, 2001- -((A/N: Sexual content warning.))**

The night before had been wonderful and we had slept very well. I had just woken up with Draco, the both of us would be continuing our honeymoon with several plans. Plus, we'd be exploring this place for a little bit once we were more awake. I grabbed my bralette and panties that been tossed to the end of the bed last night, and were white and made of lace to match my wedding dress at the time, and put them on.

I crawled over to Draco, sat up on my knees and wrapped my arms around him. Draco smiled as I rested my chin on his shoulder. He yawned and put hands over mine. "Morning, Raven." he said in another yawn. "Tired?" I asked. He nodded, moving my hands away and I sat back when he stood up. I crawled to the end of the bed and stood up, walking over to Draco.

He gazed at me while grabbing some black pants and a belt. I looked around for my trunk that Pinky had brought over, which held my clothes and bathroom supplies. "Hey Draco?" I asked, walking around the room. "Hm?" he hummed in response. "Have you seen my trunk?"

"Yeah, it's over there." he said, pointing at a corner, where my trunk sat. Smiling, I walked over and grabbed it, carrying it over to the bed and setting it on top before opening it and pulling out a black dress that was long sleeved and knee length. I then grabbed some black panties and a black bralette before changing into them.

Draco was already dressed by the time I was putting on my favorite black thigh highs. He left to the bathroom while I wandered the room, looking out the window curiously. On the patio I noticed a pool. It looked very nice and I felt the urge to go try it out. Maybe it was a heated pool. The realization that I could use this at night for once made me smile and I walked over to the bathroom after grabbing my toothbrush and toothpaste. The door was open, giving me a view of Draco brushing his teeth so I went in, greeted him and did the same.

Once that was done, we went over to the dining room where we could have breakfast. Pinky had offered to make us food here which was kind of her so we accepted. She brought breakfast over and we both ate peacefully, talking about the future.

Draco went and revealed that since Crow would be inheriting Mancer Manor once he was married, he had a brand new Malfoy Manor being built for us to move into. I thought that was nice, although I'd miss living in Mancer Manor. Draco chuckled, explaining that even if his childhood home didn't get destroyed, he wouldn't have wanted to step foot in there after all that's happened. A fresh start according to him.

I looked forward to what it'd look like. He did at one point show me a photo of the old Malfoy Manor and it had a vastly different appearance to Mancer Manor. Still beautiful, but very old in appearance naturally considering how long it's been around.

As breakfast ended, I made the mistake of biting the egg yolk as it was halfway into my mouth and the yellow liquid began dripping down my chin. I could hear Draco snickering in amusement as I grabbed a napkin and wiped my chin off. "Oh, be quiet!" I snapped playfully, grinning. He smiled and drank down the rest of his morning coffee.

I finished eating and stood up, as did Draco. The both of us wandered the house for about an hour, exploring the rooms and talking. Draco liked seeing the pool and he said we'd definitely be using it. When we began exploring the bedroom, I spotted a magic powered cooler similar to the one in my bedroom back at the manor. Inside it was all kinds of good drinks like pumpkin juice, water, milk and even an expensive red wine.

Draco noticed the wine and smiled, pulling it out and examining it. "Well, this is similar to the Superior Red wine my father used to have. Although I've never had Superior Red, I doubt I ever will." he explained.

I looked at him. "Superior Red? I've never heard of that wine before."

"It's a red wine produced by the Malfoy Apothecary. It's matured for a thousand years before being distributed." he explained.

"Matured for a thousand years? That's crazy."

Draco chuckled, putting the wine bottle back in the cooler. "I don't think any of the Superior Red wines will be something I want anytime soon." he said, looking at me as I grabbed a bottle of pumpkin juice. "I doubt I'd like that wine." I said, giggling softly.

After closing the lid to the cooler, I went to our bed and laid down, sighing at how comfortable it was. Draco stared at me, his hands on his hips. "And what are you doing?" he asked. I didn't respond, too comfortable to speak. The bed dipped next to me and I was suddenly pulled into a pair of warm arms and the familiar scent of apples and vanilla hit my nose.

"No time for napping, Raven." he teased, stroking my hair affectionately. I giggled softly, looking up at him. He was grinning widely. I stretched my legs and moaned softly in the process before curling up, snuggling against Draco's torso. He chuckled softly, snaking his arms around me. "C'mon now, Raven. I know you're comfortable, but we should move at least a bit more before getting all lazy."

I giggled again in response. "It's not laziness, it's relaxation." I said and Draco laughed, shaking his head in amusement. He stood up and pulled me to my feet. "You can relax and nap later, I want to do something with you at least." he said, looking into my eyes.

A blush crept onto my cheeks at one thought. "Well, we could make love again." I said softly. Draco's cheeks flushed red. "That can be arranged." he said, pulling me into a loving kiss.

Within a few minutes, we were laying in bed and slowly undressing. Draco began kissing my neck softly and trailed down to my breasts, kissing them softly. A soft moan escaped my lips as he sucked on my nipples, goosebumps formed as he began trailing kisses down my stomach and navel.

I looked up at him when he trailed even lower and gently spread my legs apart. A darker blush formed on my cheeks as he eyes scanned my lower body. He ran his finger down my navel until they were between my legs. He rubbed my clit with his thumb, sending small bursts of pleasure through my body. Arousal slowly formed and he slipped a finger into my core, making me moan softly.

He slipped another finger inside and began thrusting them inside of me until I was squirming in pleasure. He pulled his fingers out and positioned himself over me. I grabbed my wand and wordlessly cast the anti-pregnancy spell on myself, the familiar tingling sensation forming. I nodded at him as I put my wand on the nightstand. He positioned himself and slowly entered me.

A soft moan escaped from the both of us as we made love. I wrapped my legs around Draco's hips, pushing him deeper into me, enticing more moans from us both. I felt him intertwine our hands together (my left with his right), our eyes locking once again. Draco leaned down and kissed me deeply, our tongues enveloping into a gentle battle.

I felt his hand leave mine and trail downwards, his fingers making contact with my clit and he began rubbing it. I moaned into the kiss, moving my hips slightly, causing him to moan quietly in response. His other hand grabbed my hip and squeezed it, making me moan more as pleasure began to build up.

Draco's thrusts increased in speed, our kiss breaking. Moans filled the room as we began to reach our orgasms. My arms wrapped around his upper back, my nails digging into the skin softly. He hissed in response, looking at me. I looked at him as well, our eyes locked as we reached the end.

With a long moan, my orgasm washed over me and my inner walls clamped down on Draco's member, sending him over the edge. He moaned, his hips pressing against mine as his seed spilled into me.

When the pleasure faded, we were left a panting mess. I felt him pull out and collapse next to me. We basked in the afterglow for only a bit before we ended up taking a small nap to regain our energy.

Later in the evening while sitting on the loveseat, Draco and I were talking about possibly starting a family in a few years when we were more settled. Ever since Mother brought that topic up a couple years ago, it got us both thinking about it, but not until recently and we never talked to each other about until now.

I was eager to have children, it didn't matter if it was a boy or a girl. Draco on the other hand said this to me as we talked. "I've actually always wanted a daughter, although I don't mind having a son either." he brought up, smiling.

I smiled, looking at him as we sat in bed. "A daughter huh? I bet she'd have your hair and eyes." I said fondly. His smiled widened. "She'd be as beautiful as you, but I think she'd have your eyes. Didn't you mention that the Mancer genes are very strong when it comes to hair and eye color?" he asked.

"Yeah, black hair and emerald green eyes are in every Mancer born child. There could be a small chance that our child could have your hair and eye color or a mix of ours. It really just depends on how things go." I explained.

He nodded, looking up at the ceiling with a grin. "I bet if we did have a daughter, she'd love me more than you."

"Excuse me?" I squeaked, slightly offended and yet highly amused. He laughed. "She'd be a daddy's girl. I'd spoil her more than I was." he stated, jumping off the loveseat when I grabbed a decorative throw pillow and began attacking him with it.

"No way, she'd love me more!" I said, hitting him repeatedly and began chasing him. He ran while laughing loudly as I chased him. With a loud grunt, I threw the pillow at Draco. While it did hit him in the head, I did not expect it to bounce over and for him to catch it. He stopped in place, causing me to crash into his back and fall onto the floor.

He snickered, turned around and looked down at me. I gave him a nervous smile and giggled softly. The next thing I knew, the pillow came towards me and whacked me in the face, knocking me backwards. Draco was laughing as I propped myself up on my elbows. "Good hit, Draco." I said in amusement.

Draco held his hand out, still laughing and I took it. He pulled me up, wrapping an arm around my side. "You are such a dork, Draco." I said, grinning.

"What did you call me?" he asked, his hands suddenly going to my sides and tickling me. I laughed and squirmed, trying to break free from him. "Oh no you don't!" he said, wrapping his arms around me and picking me up.

Escaping Draco now was impossible, although I still squirmed in his arms. He had a big grin on his face as he began walking back to room where we were sitting, but didn't go to the loveseat and instead walked straight to our bedroom. "Tired already, Draco?" I asked, giggling softly.

He shook his head and placed me on the bed. "No, I was wondering if you wanted to try out the pool?" I nodded, looking at him. "I do, but what will we wear? We don't have our swimsuits." I pointed out. His eyebrows furrowed in thought, a pink tint appearing on his cheeks.

"We could just go in without anything on." he suggested. My cheeks flushed pink, but with a small giggle, I nodded. "That would be a nice way to spend the evening in the pool. Kind of reminds me of the Prefect's Bath, but much more romantic." I said, smiling.

He chuckled, looking down at me. "Well then, why don't we get ready to go to the pool then. It's dark outside and the lanterns in the pool are on now." he said. I nodded and stood up, I was only wearing a dress so changing into a robe wasn't really necessary, but I changed into one anyway as Draco did the same before leaving me behind in the bedroom since he was a lot faster at changing than I was somehow.

I stepped out onto the patio. To my left was where the pool was, Draco was already in there relaxing with his eyes closed. I walked over to the pool steps and untied my robe, letting it slip off onto the floor ever so quietly and stepped into the warm water, confirming that it was indeed a heated pool. Draco's eyes opened and he looked over at me, a smile forming on his face and his eyes seemed to be filled with love.

Smiling, I swim-walked over to him and snuggled up to his side lovingly as we began to enjoy each other's company, gazing up at the stars. The only sounds being the occasional breeze hitting the trees or an owl hooting. I spotted the Draco Constellation and pointed it out to Draco, who chuckled and smiled.

"Hey Raven, did you know there's a constellation that represents a raven? It's called Corvus." he said, pointing it out. It took me a moment to find it and I couldn't help but smile. I had no idea that the Corvus Constellation represented the bird I was named after. Resting my head on Draco's shoulder, I talked to him for the next hour and a half.

Draco soon ended the conversation, saying we should head inside, take a shower to wash off the pool water and relax in bed with a glass of that red wine we saw in the magic powered cooler. I nodded and we left the pool, doing just that and we were soon laying in bed, with Draco opening the bottle of red wine for us to drink.

With a small pop, the cork was removed and he poured the wine into two glasses. I took my glass and took a small sip to taste the wine. It wasn't that bad, quite good actually. Draco hummed in approval when he drank the wine as well. For one last hour, we drank the wine and talked some more before deciding to get ready for bed.

I put the bottle of wine back in the cooler, went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth before joining Draco in bed. He pulled me into his arms, holding me close and kissing the top of my head, whispering to me, "Good night."

We both fell into a peaceful sleep, ready to start the next day of our honeymoon when we'd later wake up to watch the sunrise.

 **\- -Sunday, June 24, 2001- -**

Our honeymoon has ended and we were packing our stuff now. It was early in the morning, seven to be exact. I was eager to see the new Malfoy Manor that we'd be living in from now on. I'd miss living in Mancer Manor naturally, growing up there was so much fun and I had so many great memories. But it was now time to make new memories, hopefully many will be great.

With the last of my clothes packed, I sat down for a moment to relax. Draco was making sure that we could apparate to the front gates of Malfoy Manor, which thankfully was possible as he spoke to Father via Floo Call. Father had placed the same wards around that place to give it the same security Mancer Manor had.

Once they finished talking, Draco stood up and called to me that we could go now. I walked over with my trunk and he took my hand, both of us Apparating to Malfoy Manor. Upon arriving to the front gates, Draco waved his wand in a motion similar to that of the Protection Spell and the gates opened.

My jaw dropped at the sight. It was built in a similar style to Mancer Manor, but it seemed to be much more elegant as well. To my own shock, I saw the same types of rose bushes and vines growing here: Blood red, dark purple and black.

"Draco, did you have those roses planted here?" I asked softly. He nodded, smiling. "I had them planted here to remind me of the day I first came to Mancer Manor and the security I felt staying there despite my doubts of actually being safe. It was the first safe place that let me be truly happy."

I smiled fondly, looking at the gardens and fountains. Draco really had this place designed after my home, but in a way, it was still different. Draco took my hand and led me to the front doors. I jumped when I heard a familiar squawking and spotted the same old albino peacock. "Bloody bird." Draco muttered under his breath.

I giggled softly as he opened the front doors. Inside was the entrance hall light up with white candles that hung on the walls in black candle holders. A few crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filled with glowing candles as well. It was quite empty currently, but I loved how the inside looked so far.

The walls and ceiling were a dark grey, the floor was black wood, which reminded me of my home again. I felt my hand being tugged by Draco so I followed him into what appeared to be the Drawing Room, but very empty other than some beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging on the ceiling. The tall windows had long dark green curtains.

The walls in the Drawing Room were the same dark grey, but had black wall paper in the middle. The flooring was the same as well. There was a fireplace with a fire burning inside, filling the room with the relaxing sound of crackling and a comforting warmth.

Both of us turned around when three loud cracks appeared from behind us. "Ah, you're all here. Raven, these are our new house elves." he said, looking at them kindly. The first elf was a girl with bright green eyes, her name was Mippy. The second elf had deep blue eyes, her name was Tipsy. The last elf had vibrant purple eyes, his name was Tik.

I smiled at them and Draco had them go back where they were working. "Let's go to our master bedroom. Our stuff is in there, but we just need furniture so we'll go in just a little bit to buy everything we need for the three main rooms." he explained, leading my up the stairs and down the long hallway.

We passed several doors until we stopped in front of a door. Like in Mancer Manor, the door had a silver plaque that said, "Master Bedroom" in cursive. Draco opened the door, letting me enter it while he followed behind. It was beautiful and a lot bigger than my old bedroom. It was the same shade of green that my bedroom had and had black flooring.

There was a door that led to the private bathroom, one for a closet and a back door to an outdoor deck. The bedroom itself was empty, other than our stuff that were in various trunks in a corner of the bedroom, so we'd definitely would be getting furniture for this first.

Thanks to my Father setting up a personal vault for me, I'd still be getting money from the Mancer vaults, about one thousand Galleons will be put in every month. The Mancers were after all very wealthy and we never needed to work as a result. With the combined wealth of the Mancers and Malfoys, Draco and I will easily get everything we need for the manor and barely put a dent in the vaults.

Draco smiled, looking at me. "We should go to Diagon Alley very soon to get everything we need for this room, the Drawing Room and the dining room today. The other rooms will be done later." he said.

"Alright, wanna go now?" I asked, looking at him. "Yeah, let's move." he said.

The majority of the day consisted of us going to various shops in Diagon Alley. We got a queen sized mattress with a dark oak four poster bed frame. It would have black hangings as decoration, similar to the hangings on the beds at Hogwarts. A shame my old bed never had them. Draco got some nice stuff for the bedroom to give it some life: A black plush throw rug, a desk similar to the one I had for studying or drawing or writing, a chest for the foot of the bed, and a couple small dressers that double as an end table for the sides of the bed.

We had gotten some furniture for the Drawing Room. Two velvet loveseats, five plush armchairs and two end tables. Along with with a large dark green throw rug for the middle of the room where the loveseats would be.

Finally, a long table and some chairs for the dining room, but that was all we could get before tiring out for the day and decided that we'd continue later.

It was late afternoon by the time we had finished and we were exhausted. With that, we went back to Malfoy Manor and rested for a little bit in our bedroom, ate a small meal and when our energy was back, we went to the Drawing Room to see what it now looked like. Our house elves put our new furniture in their respective places while we were gone.

I smiled at the sight of the now filled in Drawing Room: In front of the fireplace were the three plush armchairs, against the walls (one on each opposite side) were the velvet loveseats with one end table at one end of them and a plush armchair on the other end. In the middle was the throw rug.

Draco went over and sat down on the loveseat that was against the wall with the tall window behind it. I walked over and joined him, both of us admiring our new home happily. I felt Draco wrap an arm around me and got pulled to his side. Smiling, I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed contently.

Our dinner soon came, but since the dining room had yet to be finished, we ate here instead and talked until the time to sleep came. Both of us brushed our teeth, I took off my usual makeup and washed my face before we changed into our night clothes. I looked at our new bed fondly. The mattress was the same kind that I used so it would be very comfortable. It has an all black bed set, Draco apparently preferred all black as well so it an easy choice for us.

There were a few Slytherin decorations by Draco like our scarfs hung up on the wall. He wanted some memories of the Hogwarts House we were sorted into. I thought it was a nice touch and even got a Slytherin banner hung up as well.

I climbed into bed, laying on the left side like I usually do and moaned at how comfortable it was, snuggling into the warm blankets just as Draco climbed in, the candles that provided light extinguished. His scent hit my nose as he too snuggled into the blankets, pulling me into his arms and kissing my head as we slept in our new home for the first time.

Needless to say, I felt homesick for a few days before getting used to being here and sleeping comfortably thanks to Draco being there for me during those moments of homesickness.

 **\- -Saturday, September 1, 2001- -**

I was very excited. I was going with Draco to Hogwarts to start begin my work as the next Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. I had gotten everything packed up in my two trunks, as did Draco. We both had our own personal offices to grade work on, but we stayed in the same personal chambers for sleeping.

What was funny is that classes wouldn't be starting the next day like they usually would since it was the weekend. This extra time gave me a chance to review my class schedule and make sure the lessons were planned out properly.

Draco was wearing his usual black suit with the black robe, I myself was wearing an all black outfit as well. A long sleeved, knee length dress, sheer tights and dress shoes. I too put on a robe, mine hugged my body nicely and according to Draco, makes me look adorable and professional.

I set down my trunks in the Drawing Room and stretched my stiff muscles, only to jump when I felt a pair of arms wrap around my stomach. "Draco." I squeaked, giggling. He chuckled behind me, resting his chin on top of my head. I craned my head up a bit to look at him and saw that he was smiling at me fondly. I smiled back at him and freed myself from his grip, turning around to face him.

He looked down at me, putting his hands in his robe pockets. "Are you excited to join me at Hogwarts as a Professor, Raven?" he asked, grinning widely. I nodded, smiling. "Yes, very excited." I answered, trying to keep myself from bouncing in excitement. Draco noticed my restraint and shook his in amusement, pulling to him and giving me a quick kiss.

"It's almost time to floo to Hogwarts. I'll help you get situated in our private chamber, and in your own work office, then we'll speak to the staff so you can get any advice if you need any." he explained. I giggled softly, nodding. "I think I will be alright Draco. I am confident that I will do well for my first day." I said, smiling.

He smiled in approval. "Then you are ready to be a Professor with all that confidence." he said, sitting down on the loveseat. I joined him and sat on his lap, which he responded by wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer.

Soon enough, it was time to leave and we went through the fireplace and entered the private chambers Draco and I would stay in during the school year. Both of us began unpacking our stuff and I went over my work office, which was connected to Draco's via another door and set my work stuff there.

Once we were all unpacked, Draco and I left the chambers and spoke to the staff and got ourselves situated. For the next few hours, we spoke to the staff some more, wandered the halls and spoke to each other about our plans. I told Draco about what I'd tell the students when they came to my class for the first time and all that. He smiled, supporting me in my plans and said I'd do great, which boosted my mood even more.

The time soon came for the students to arrive at Hogwarts so we left to the Great Hall and sat down in our respective spots, right next to each other. I watched as the students poured in and sat in their respective tables. Many that had seen me back when I was a student began whispering, but were smiling. Draco whispered to me that they did the same when he first came here, which I giggled quietly.

When they were all seated, the first years were brought in and I smiled fondly at their looks of amazement. All of them gathered in the front where the stool and Sorting Hat were placed. The Hat began singing cheerfully and all of us clapped at the end of it. They all got Sorted, which the staff and I all clapped with each student sorted and then Headmistress McGonagall stood up and began to speak.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. Now, before we begin the feast, I have one small announcement. We have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Please welcome, Raven Malfoy." she announced, everyone clapped while I smiled and waved happily.

The feast began after that. I happily filled my plate up and ate while speaking to Draco and the other staff members until the feast ended. McGonagall gave the usual warnings and dismissed everyone. I went down with Draco, walking ahead of him as we went to our private chamber to stay there for the night.

I could only wonder what would happen when the first day of classes began.

 **\- -Monday, September 3, 2001- -**

After some extra time reviewing my class schedule and making sure my lessons were planned out, I knew I'd be ready for today. Draco and I were both getting ourselves dressed and ready. I was finishing up my mascara while Draco got his shoes on. Both of us were talking as we did this.

Draco looked at me as he stood up, grabbing his robe while speaking. "Excited for today Raven?"

I nodded, putting my mascara tube back into my small makeup bag and setting it to the side. "Yes, I am. Both of us teaching at Hogwarts together will be amazing." I said, standing up and grabbing my robe and putting it on.

After getting ready, Draco and I left for the Great Hall and ate a nice breakfast. Once that ended, I left for my classroom, eager to teach for the first time, but also nervous. The sixth years would be coming so I'd be teaching them about curses, such as the Unforgivable Curses, along with Nonverbal Spells.

With that, I waited in my classroom after entering it and within a few minutes the sixth years arrived and sat down. Some of them smiled seeing me, which I smiled back and began talking. "Welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts. Before I explain things, I will tell you all now that I request all of you to call me Professor Mancer, rather than Professor Malfoy as we already have a Professor Malfoy here and he teaches Potions class. We don't want any confusion here."

The class chuckled softly and I smiled softly before changing to a more serious expression. "In this class, I will be teaching you the darker variations of magic and creatures. I shall tell you now that this class is to taken seriously, as I will not tolerate laziness or recklessness" I said, clearing my throat before continuing.

"Also, all of you may know the rules that Professor Malfoy has told all of you, this is the same with me, but not with potions. As such, you will not be disrespectful to me or any student regardless of your relationship towards them or the House they are in, and attempting to make someone lash out will not only cause you to lose points, but you may even receive detention."

They all looked at me as I spoke, looking nervous. "Second, I will not tolerate any prejudice towards anyone of blood status. I hear anyone saying rude terms about someone of a blood status, points will be taken and a detention will be given. And you will not like being in detention when I am the one supervising you." I said in a warning tone.

I cleared my throat once again and spoke with a softer voice. "On the other hand, I will help anyone who is having difficulty with this class. Now then, onto today's lesson." I said, going into the topic of Dementors.

The class went by smoothly, as did the other classes I had for today. Lunch and dinner passed by quickly and I was satisfied with how things went today. Draco had a good day as well and throughout the evening until we went to bed, we spoke about our day.

 **\- -Tuesday, October 23, 2001- -**

The first thing I felt when waking up was pain in my body. I started coughing and sat up abruptly, wincing at the body aches. After having quite the coughing fit, which woke up Draco, I groaned softly as my muscles ached. I felt cold and shivered.

Draco sat up, looking at me in concern and placed the back of his hand on my forehead, frowning. "You're burning up, Raven." he said softly, climbing out of bed and walked into the bathroom we shared and came out a moment later with a thermometer. "Open your mouth, Raven." he said softly. I did so and he put the thermometer under my tongue.

A minute later, Draco took it out of my mouth and looked at it. He frowned again. "Thirty-nine degrees. That's not good, Raven." he said, putting the thermometer down and began changing into his black suit. "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing. Do you have enough energy to get dressed or do you want me to help?" he asked, buckling his belt and grabbing his long sleeved, button down shirt.

"I.. I could use some help. I don't feel very well." I said weakly, looking at him. He quickly finished getting dressed and helped me get dressed and took me to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey concluded that I had the flu and said I'd be staying here for a few days.

Draco kissed my forehead softly, running his fingers through my bangs. "I'll come visit you during lunch, alright?" he said softly. I nodded weakly, turning my head away to cough. I looked back over at him as he left the Hospital Wing.

I fell back asleep once Madam Pomfrey gave me a potion to ease my flu symptoms. Draco did come to see me during lunch, but I had been sleeping still and for the next week, I stayed in the Hospital Wing. At some point when I had the energy to talk, I asked Draco if anyone took over my class and he told me that Severus came to take my position until I recovered. That amused me a bit, knowing how strict Severus was when it came to classes.

Finally, after dealing with the flu and recovering, Madam Pomfrey let me leave. I went straight to the private chambers and surprised Draco upon entering it. He was grading some homework and smiled upon seeing me, putting his quill down and stood up. "Finally recovered from the flu, Raven?" he asked, smiling happily.

I nodded, walking over to Draco and happily wrapped my arms around him as he hugged me lovingly. I squeaked in surprise when he picked me up, my feet hovering above the ground. Our eyes met, emerald green meeting bright silver. Giggling softly, I rested my forehead against his, our eyes locking. He smiled, kissing me softly.

"I'm glad you missed me, Draco." I giggled, kissing him back softly. He set me down, still smiling, and led me to our bed, which had been replaced with a better one and was much more comfortable for us to sleep in. "Since it's already nearly time to sleep, why don't we get ready and maybe you'd like to freshen up after being in the Hospital Wing for over a week?" he suggested.

I agreed and went straight into the bathroom, turning on the shower and got myself cleaned up. After about twenty minutes, I left the bathroom once I had finished brushing my teeth and washing my face, feeling refreshed and ready to relax. Draco was already in his night clothes and had brushed his teeth while I had been showering so he was laying in bed. I climbed in and was instantly pulled into his warm embrace.

His scent filled my nose, my eyelids felt heavy all the sudden and I sighed contently, listening to his heart once I got my head laying on his chest. The candles were extinguished and we fell into a peaceful sleep.

 **\- -2002 through 2004- -**

These next few years went by and things did very well. I really enjoyed our first Christmas together as Hogwarts Professors. It was really fun having the Christmas dinner and opening Wizard Crackers. I ended up getting a top hat and Draco got a pastel colored flower crown, much to my amusement.

Draco and I were liked by a lot of the students here, the staff liked us as well. I was mentioned on the Daily Prophet as the best Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor that Hogwarts has seen in decades, which flattered me, but shocked me when Draco came to me during the Summer of 2002 with the newspaper in his hand. My family praised me for it and even some students and staff agreed about my status as the professor.

Harry apparently went to the Ministry of Magic and helped reform it for some time. My brothers, Leo and Crow both got married in 2002 and later on in 2003, they had kids. Leo had a daughter named Annalise. Crow had a son named Felix. Both of them were very happy with their children and I loved seeing them.

Crow had inherited Mancer Manor so he and his wife and their child live there now. Leo and his wife and their child live in their own place. And Mother and Father now live in a new place.

A few moments at Hogwarts included Draco and I helping a crying first year Hufflepuff find his way to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Poor boy was so upset when he got lost that I had to comfort him and help him stop crying so I could help him out, Draco aiding me and even telling a small joke to get the boy to giggle, which worked out nicely.

Another moment was when I taught some first years about curing werewolf bites and third years about werewolves. Teaching the third year about Boggarts was an interesting experience, but it felt nice teaching them how to banish a Boggart.

Draco teaching sixth years on brewing a Laughing Potion and it was apparently funny since making that potion requires various types of laughing so he was very amused during that lesson. He admitted to laughing with the students during the whole process.

At one point during Potions, Draco had sneezed and a student asked if sneezing was required for specific potion, which got him laughing. Draco said that at some point, a student would crack a joke out loud, sometimes at the right moment too.

It was in late 2004 that certain things made us both nervous, not from Hogwarts, but in our personal life together, we were trying something with no success and it wouldn't be until early to mid-2005 that we'd succeed. . .

 **\- -Saturday, April 9, 2005- -**

Seven months have passed and each time Draco and I have tried, it still hasn't worked and now we were worried. You see, Draco and I have been trying to make a baby and still nothing has happened.

There was the worry that I was not very fertile, but we went to a Healer that specialized in fertility and both got tested. Thankfully, we weren't having fertility problems, it was just our timing for trying so he recommended the best times I'd likely be ovulating and we tried just a about a week ago when we believed I was ovulating. This would be our seventh try.

Draco had left to do some errands before I woke up and he was going to be back soon. We decided to stay at our manor for a few hours for the weekend. I was very excited as I had just taken a pregnancy test without him knowing I would be. Pregnancy tests in the magical world exist in one new way. It works the same way the muggle pregnancy sticks work, but ours light up and are far more accurate. When determining pregnancy, the test will glow purple. If positive, it'll glow blue, if negative, it'll glow red.

It had finally glowed blue for positive and I was going to surprise him. My cheeks were hurting from smiling so much, but I couldn't help it. I was sitting on our bed, bouncing in excitement. I wondered how he would react as I waited for him to come home. Soon enough, I heard footsteps approaching our bedroom. "Raven?" Draco called.

"I'm in our bedroom." I responded, hiding my hands behind my back when he entered the room and put the stuff he got down. He looked at my grin and how my hands were behind my back. "What's going on?" he asked, raising an eyebrow

"Come here." I beckoned, still smiling. He walked over as I stood up, keeping my hands hidden. "What are you hiding, Raven?" he asked. My smile widened and I revealed what was in my hand. "Look at it, Draco." I beamed.

Draco took it and looked at it for only a few moments before covering his mouth in shock, tears actually brimming in his eyes. "You're... You're pregnant?" he stuttered, uncovering his mouth. I nodded happily and he suddenly enveloped me into a loving hug, both of us falling onto our bed as he began crying joyfully.

"We're going to be parents." he sobbed happily, pulling away and kissing me a few times. My cheeks were aching from smiling so much, but I was far too happy to stop. "We're going to be parents." I repeated, looking into Draco's eyes. They were a bright silver and filled with joy. I gave him a quick kiss and sat up, giggling.

Draco rubbed my slim stomach, smiling fondly. "There's a baby in there." he said softly. I rubbed my sore cheeks, groaning softly. He looked up and chuckled. "Smiled all day?" he asked, pulling me onto his lap. I nodded, letting my smile soften as to reduce the soreness.

"So, we'll have to plan out a day a Pregnancy Healer can come here and see how far along you are, determine a due date and maybe even get a photo of the growing baby inside." he said, looking at me with a smile. I nodded, resting my head on his chest.

"We'll wait a while before telling everyone the news of my pregnancy. Maybe give it a few months until I begin to show, then when the time is right, we could have a big dinner party where our friends and family come and we announce it then." I suggested, looking up at Draco.

He grinned and nodded. "You could could wear a large shirt to hide your belly, but have a tank top on underneath, then say you're feeling warm and take it off, that could be the big reveal." he added, grinning widely. A smile formed and I nodded eagerly. "That'll be perfect."

"For now, Raven, we must get ourselves prepared for the road ahead. Especially for you, we need to make sure we know what to do during your pregnancy. You won't be able to do a lot of teaching while pregnant as it's risky, so we may need Severus, or maybe Harry could fill in. He did teach Dumbledore's Army and many said he's nearly as good as you are with teaching that subject." he explained.

With a nod, both of us began planning out what we'd do. I looked forward to what would happen.

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	23. Chapter 23

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 **\- -Chapter 23: Raven's Pregnancy- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -Monday, April 11, 2005- -**

A few days have passed since finding out that I was pregnant. Draco had set up an appointment with a Pregnancy Healer, who would be coming here today in less than a few minutes to see how far along I was and determine a due date. The Healer would be coming here daily to check on me as to make sure the pregnancy is doing well and to make sure that I'm doing well.

Most Pure-blood families preferred to have tests and births done at home. An old tradition and with healing magic being more advanced, it has become much safer to do and the risks for the mother is lessened greatly. However, many Healers still recommend giving birth at the hospital, especially if pregnancy is risky for the mother.

I had chosen to give birth here at the manor, like my mother did at Mancer Manor with my brothers and I. It'd be natural and all the more painful for there is no spell or potion to dull the pain of contractions or birth unfortunately, but of course a potion is in development for that as well. It was a bit scary, but Mother told me years ago that would be alright. As for me giving birth here, we would soon have a Birthing Room set up and ready when the time came near.

Recent magical developments now allow Pregnancy Healers use a special kind of magic specially designed for pregnancy. This includes determining how far along a woman is in pregnancy to determine a due date, although the due date is a guess if anything.

One very new spell was recently approved and this was based entirely on the ultrasound used by muggles and will allow a mother to see the fetus inside the womb. Of course, we'll have to wait until I am a few months along before that spell can be used. It was a wonderful thing and I looked forward to seeing our developing baby. The only downside is that the spell isn't advanced enough to determine the sex so Draco and I will not know until I give birth.

Another thing however is that once I was heavily pregnant, I'd likely have to lay in bed due to my short stature and Draco would have to help me out with a lot of things as a result.

For now, Draco and I would wait until I was showing enough, probably when I'm a few months along before telling our friends and family about the great news.

Draco and I were currently in the Drawing Room, waiting for the Pregnancy Healer to arrive. Draco was rubbing my stomach affectionately, like he had been since finding out I was pregnant. He did occasionally kiss my stomach as well, his way of providing luck and love for the growing baby inside me.

I looked up when the Floo flared up and the Pregnancy Healer stepped inside. He looked very friendly and had a polite smile on his face. He has blue eyes, light brown hair and tan skin. He was wearing black framed glasses and a white Healer's coat.

Draco stood up, smiling and introduced himself, shaking the Healer's hand. The Healer began to speak to us, still smiling. "Hello Draco, I am Healer Lee and I will be doing some work to see how your wife is doing and determine how far along she is with her pregnancy." he explained, looking at us both.

I smiled and we got things started. Healer Lee went over to me and after explaining what he'd be doing to determine how far along I was, he began waving his wand in a complicated hand movement with a few incantations. He looked at what the spell said and nodded lightly to himself. "You are about five days along. And the due date will be between January fifteenth and seventeenth of 2006." he said.

Healer Lee went on and explained the do's and don'ts, like not traveling by Portkeys, the symptoms I'd be going through such as morning sickness, cravings, mood swings and much more. Draco listened and was told to help me out while as the months go by. He agreed and we scheduled a new appointment to when I am about four months pregnant.

Once Healer Lee left, Draco went and pulled me into his arms affectionately. I smiled as his arms wrapped around my midsection, his hands resting on my stomach. I rested my hands over his and we relaxed for some time, talking and enjoying each other's company for the rest of the day.

 **\- -Monday, May 23, 2005- -**

I groaned softly as I woke up unexpectedly. It was early in the morning and I felt horrible. At first I didn't know why, but seconds later I felt it hit me hard as a brutal wave of nausea hit me and I launched myself out of bed, running straight into the bathroom and collapsed in front of the toilet, vomiting last nights dinner into it. _"Morning sickness."_ I thought, coughing.

I heard footsteps approach me and felt my hair get pulled back gently. I retched as nausea radiated through me again and vomited once more. A hand began rubbing my back in slow, soft circles as I vomited one last time and lifted my head. I could see Draco in my corner vision and I was very thankful that he was so caring.

He helped me stand up and flushed the toilet while I rinsed out my mouth. Once I did that, Draco spoke. "Are you alright, Raven?" he asked softly, looking worried. I nodded, smiling. "It's just morning sickness Draco. Part of being pregnant and will last a little while." I answered. Draco's cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment, making me giggle softly.

He led me back to the bed and had me lay down. "I'll have our house elves prepare you some herbal tea. Healer Lee said it can help with morning sickness." he explained. I nodded, laying back as nausea continued to radiated through me, but not as badly. Draco called for one of the house elves and had them bring some herbal tea for me, which arrived within a few minutes.

I wrinkled my nose at the smell of the tea, my nausea making it seem repulsive than pleasant. With a small thanks, I took the cup, blew gently on the tea and sipped it carefully, not wanting to upset my stomach anymore by taking a large gulp. I felt the bed dip next to me as Draco sat down on it.

Healer Lee had made sure to list the herbal teas safe for me to drink so the house elves knew which ones to make after Draco informed them. I was warned to limit how much herbal tea I drink, which wouldn't be a problem since tea isn't something I drink daily like Draco does.

The tea lessened my nausea after I drank the cup and I felt much better, but I would not be looking forward to being sick again. It was still so early so I went back to sleep with Draco.

A few hours later, I woke up feeling very hungry. I groaned softly and stretched, looking over where Draco was and saw that he wasn't there. The bathroom door was closed so he likely took a shower and would be out in a bit. I got up and dressed myself into a black dress and thigh highs. Draco came out a few minutes later and smiled upon seeing that I was awake. "Well, good morning Raven. How are you feeling?" he asked, smiling.

"Better than I was earlier. Very hungry actually." I responded, throwing myself backwards onto our bed. Draco chuckled and sat down on a nearby chair, putting his shoes on. "Well, we'll head to the dining room and get some breakfast." he said. I sat up and nodded, grabbing my dress shoes and slipping them on with ease.

Breakfast came and went, I had a big meal from hunger and was now tired from eating so much, but also because of being pregnant. I ended up falling asleep in Draco's arms while we sat in the Drawing Room.

When I woke up, I found that Draco had fallen asleep and was snoring softly, much to my amusement. The clock nearby showed that it was early afternoon. With a quiet sigh, I freed myself from Draco's arms and stretched my stiff legs before standing up to walk around. My stomach rumbled softly, but I ignored it, knowing that I didn't need to eat for another hour anyway.

Looking over at Draco, I knew he'd need to wake up or else he'd never be tired tonight. Walking over to him, I gently shook his shoulder and said his name quietly. "Draco, wake up."

His eyes opened and his mouth opened in a wide yawn. "What time is it?" he asked mid-yawn. "Around one in the afternoon." I answered, watching him sit up and stretch, his joints popping rather loudly.

The rest of the day went by quickly with us eating and talking most of the time until we went to bed peacefully, but I was dreading waking up sick again.

 **\- -Friday, July 29, 2005- -**

This was unexpected, my brother Leo wanted to come see me and well, I had to act fast and wear a bigger shirt as to hide my stomach since I was developing a baby bump and we still haven't revealed that I was pregnant. I was only 3 months along now.

Draco tossed me one of his shirts for me to wear over my tank top, which landed on my head since I wasn't paying attention, but I giggled loudly while he chuckled in amusement. I slipped it on and Draco checked me over to see if my baby bump was noticeable, which thankfully was hidden thanks to his shirt being so big on me.

We left to the Drawing Room and a few minutes later, Leo arrived through the Floo and greeted me with a hug, and chuckling that I was wearing such an oversized shirt. I rolled my eyes, Leo may have matured since getting married, but he still showed his relaxed, humorous side.

All of us sat down and talked happily, I sat between Draco's legs, his arms wrapped around my midsection. "So Raven, how have things been lately?" Leo asked, grinning. I smiled, excited that he'd one day find out I was pregnant. "Things have been wonderful actually. I am still trying to get a day set up so that all of us, including our friends to all come here for a big meet up. It's been rather hard since everyone is busy." I answered, frowning slightly.

With Harry and Lilia having one kid and now expecting another, it has been rather difficult for them to come. Leo said he could come anytime, same with Mother and Father, but until our friends from Hogwarts could come as well, the plan to announce my pregnancy was being prolonged even more.

Opal and Midna have been hanging out a lot since January and they've been busy and all that, but were eager to come so they were trying to free up some time.

Leo nodded, frowning slightly. "Crow told me recently that he's able to come anytime now, I am as well." he said. I smiled, but that quickly went back to a frown and I sighed softly. "Well, it could be that only our family will come then." I said, leaning back to rest my head on Draco's chest.

"Anyway Leo, how's Annalise and Madeline?" I asked. Leo smiled and answered. "They've both been doing well. Annalise has been handful, but she's fond of me apparently compared to her mother."

Draco snickered softly which got Leo's attention. "What's so funny, Draco?" he asked, grinning. Draco went on and told him about what we talked about how Draco said that if we had a daughter, she'd love Draco more than me. This got Leo laughing, along with me since I still found that amusing.

We soon changed the subject, and despite wearing a larger shirt, Leo did take notice of my stomach being bigger and questioned jokingly if I had gained a few pounds, while I wasn't offended and shook my head, laughing and lying smoothly that I was just bloated, Draco looked a little shocked at the question, considering that most women would be highly offended at questions like that.

The hours went by far too quickly and Leo soon had to go. We hugged and he said that he'll come by anytime if I want him to. With that, he left and Draco and I were alone for the rest of the day.

 **\- -Wednesday, August 24, 2005- -**

I was now four months pregnant. Today, Healer Lee would be coming to preform a spell that would let Draco and I see what our baby looked like to far. I was very excited as we waited in the Drawing Room. Healer Lee would be arriving at eleven, which was in less then a minute, but it felt like it was taking forever. Draco looked amused at my excitement as he stood by me, I was laying on the loveseat, my hand on my slightly swollen stomach.

The Floo flared up at last and Healer Lee stepped through. We greeted each other and Healer Lee sat down on the chair offered to him. "Hello Raven, Draco. How are things so far for you both?" he asked.

"Things have been good so far. I have been tired a lot lately, also dealing with food cravings. Draco's been watching over me, which I appreciate." I said first, smiling.

Healer Lee smiled and looked at Draco. "Have you been making sure that she eats enough healthy food, Draco?" he asked. Draco nodded. "Of course, although it has been a bit tricky with her cravings for ice cream." he said, eyeing me, making me giggle softly embarrassment.

With a chuckle, Healer Lee asked a few more questions and went on about what he'd be doing before pulling out his wand. "OK, Raven. I will perform the spell." he said.

I nodded, lifting up my shirt a bit to expose my stomach. Clothes disrupt the spell and cause weird images. I watched as he did a complicated hand movement with an incantation, and after a few seconds an image popped up above my stomach. To my absolute shock, there were _two_ fetuses, not one. "And congrats, you are having twins!" Healer Lee said, beaming.

I heard a thump and looked to see that Draco fell onto his knees in shock. We were having twins! Not one baby, but two! I covered my mouth and laughed in shock and joy. I really couldn't believe it and my vision blurred from tears welling up in my eyes. I really wanted a photo of this. I looked up at Draco.

"Draco, can you get a picture of this?" I asked. He nodded, leaving the room and came back a few moment later, Healer Lee smiled and stepped to the side to allow Draco to get a picture. With a flash, the camera got the photo. "I'll make sure that it's developed soon, Raven" he said, putting the camera down.

"Thank you so much." I beamed. Healer Lee talked to us and left. I smiled at Draco in excitement. "Twins, Draco." I said in excitement. He grinned widely, pulling me into a hug. "We can tell my family now, Draco." I said, looking at him happily.

"What about our friends?" he asked, looking down at me. I sighed softly. "I doubt they'll all be able to come, but I'll ask them again." I said, watching as Draco rubbed my stomach softly. He nodded, kissing the top of my head.

"When should we tell everyone?" he asked. "In two days." I confirmed. Draco nodded and we talked for a bit until lunch came. I immediately asked for ice cream since I've been having major cravings for it lately, much to Draco's amusement. He did however, make me eat something healthy later on to make up for all the ice cream I eat.

As I ate a large bowl of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream, Draco and I planned the time for when my parents and brothers would come. "Maybe near dinner time? They could come around four o'clock and stay. We already know how I'm going to reveal my pregnancy to them." I suggested, eating a spoonful of ice cream.

Draco looked thoughtful as he ate. "That would work, but you'll have to confirm with them if it's the right time." he pointed out.

I nodded. "Alright then."

 **\- -Friday, August 26, 2005- -**

Today was the day. I would announce my pregnancy to Mother, Father, Leo and Crow. My friends couldn't come today, but they all agreed to come on September fifth so that was exciting. Draco had gotten the photo of the twins developed so I had it in a frame now, a copy was made so I could show everyone. I was currently with Draco in our bedroom, I was wearing an outfit consisting of tank top and leggings. I haven't yet put on the oversized sweater as I couldn't find it yet.

Draco was grinning as I searched for a sweater to put on. It had to be a thin one since it was summer after all. After digging around, I finally found one and pulled it out. It was just big enough to hide my pregnant belly. I slipped it on and looked at my mirror before brushing my out my hair so that it was neat again.

I heard chuckling and looked over at Draco, who was looking amused. "And what is so funny?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips, smiling. He smiled innocently, looking at me. "Seeing you wear a sweater during summer when it's warm outside." he answered, chuckling again.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to Draco, pinning him down onto the bed playfully. He grunted, looking at me with wide eyes while I just smiled and laid down next to him. "Playful are we?" he teased after recovering from being pinned, adjusting his position to lay on his side. I giggled, nodding. "I'm just full of excitement is all."

He smiled and without warning, he lunged at me, attacking my sides with his hands and tickling me. I squealed loudly, laughing and squirming as he tickled me. "Want me to stop, Raven?" he asked, grinning widely.

"Yes, please stop!" I begged, laughing, my foot hitting his leg. He grunted in response to the unintentional kick and stopped, letting me catch me breath from laughing so much. I felt my sweater and tank top be lifted just a bit to expose my stomach so I looked down and watched in awe as Draco kissed it softly. "I can't wait until the babies are born." he said softly, smiling and lowering my shirts down.

A smile formed on my face at his sweetness. I sat up and snuggled into his side, resting my head on his shoulder while he rubbed my stomach softly. "What do you think their sex will be? Boys or girls or a boy and a girl?" he asked quietly, resting his head on top of mine. "Maybe a boy and a girl. What about you?" I asked.

"Both girls. You know I've always wanted a daughter and having two would be wonderful." He answered, smiling fondly. Smiling as well, I looked at the time. "Well, time flies, we should head to the Drawing Room soon. They said they'd be here around four like I had hoped for and it's nearing that time now."

Draco nodded and we both got up. I adjusted my sweater to make sure it wouldn't expose my stomach, grabbed the spare picture of the twins and followed Draco to the Drawing Room. Good timing as a few minutes later the Floo flared up and one by one Mother, Father, Leo and Crow stepped through, greeting us both happily. I smiled, standing next to Draco as we all went to the loveseats and sat down, talking for a few hours, catching up and laughing.

Leo and Crow both asked why I was wearing a sweater in this weather and I said I gotten cold and I would take it off eventually when I get too warm. Mother sat next to me when we began talking. Ironically, she started asking about when Draco and I would be starting a family, and I unintentionally snorted, receiving a glare from Mother while Draco chuckled.

My only response was, "Soon.." as I internally squealed with excitement.

Dinner soon arrived, a mix of British and Romanian foods. As we ate, I was getting more and more excited to announce my pregnancy so as a result, I was grinning a lot, much to Draco's amusement and my family's confusion.

"What is making you so happy, Raven?" asked Leo, who was smiling. Giggling, I gazed at Leo. "Oh, just something exciting is all." I answered, smiling. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

After dinner was over, I waited until everyone but Draco and I were in the Drawing Room. Draco was grinning and knew it was time to announce my pregnancy. We entered the Drawing Room, but I stopped for a moment, "I'm feeling a little too warm in this." I said, taking it off in front of my family, I was facing in a direction where they were getting a side view of me and as I took the sweater off, I heard my mother gasp in shock and crying out, "Raven, are you pregnant?"

Once the offending clothing was off, I could only smile at their shocked faces. I joined Draco at the loveseat. I looked at them and finally announced, "Mother, Father, Leo, Crow, I'm pregnant!"

Mother squealed happily, Father cheered and my brothers could only look in a mix of disbelief and happiness. Mother got up, ran to me and hugged me. "Oh, my daughter is pregnant!"

"How far along are you, Raven?" Crow asked, now smiling and walking over to me with Leo and Father. "I'm four months along." I answered.

"And you didn't tell us when you first found out?" Mother asked, looking offended. I giggled and shook my head. "I wanted to wait. Besides, I wouldn't have found out that I'm carrying twins." I said, smiling.

"TWINS?!" Mother practically shrieked. I nodded, giggling loudly and showing them the photo of the twins. Father congratulated me, Crow considered the announcement wonderful and Leo was looking excited. Leo and Crow both hugged me, both of them having tears in their eyes from joy. I couldn't help but smile at how happy they looked.

They stayed for a few more hours, and Mother gave Draco some tips on helping me out since I was carrying twins. For me, carrying twins would be a bit more harsh since I was a petite girl so she recommended that once I reached seven to eight months of pregnancy, I should rest more often, only walking to keep the blood flowing, to eat or to use the bathroom.

Draco agreed and they later left, allowing us to relax and enjoy ourselves for the rest of the evening until we went to bed, Draco kissing my stomach as a sign of affection toward our unborn twins. I smiled, falling asleep peacefully with Draco holding me in his arms.

 **\- -Monday, September 5, 2005- -**

It had been a great day, our friends had come, namely Midna, Opal, Pearl, and Lilia had all arrived, what I didn't expect was Harry and Hermione coming as well, but it was wonderful as I had hoped they'd come too, Ron was busy and well, he and Draco weren't exactly friends still so he rarely showed up. They all had a positive reaction to the announcement and loved the photo of the twins.

With the hangout over, I was fairly exhausted. Draco noticed when I collapsed on the loveseat and fell asleep in an instant. He smiled and shook his head before picking me up, albeit with some difficulty at first, and carried me to our bedroom where he laid me in our bed and gently played with my hair as I slept.

When dinner came, I merely whined that I didn't want to get up so Draco had dinner brought to our bedroom, which I appreciated as I was still quite tired. We ate, although barely talked as I wanted to just sleep for the rest of the night.

I finally got that chance once Draco made me do my usual nightly bathroom routine and he helped me change into my larger nightgown. I was out within minutes upon laying in bed and Draco later joined me in bed several hours later.

 **\- -Friday, October 21, 2005- -**

Cravings, while I have had them for a while now, they were beginning to annoy me. Sure, I enjoyed eating ice cream every day, but I hated getting cold after eating a large bowl of the frozen treat. I did get cravings for spicy food and let me tell you, it's amazing with the ice cream. My mouth is cooled easily so eating both foods is pleasant, even if I dislike the cravings now. I definitely will be eating far less ice cream after my pregnancy ends.

And I've lost track at how many times I snapped at Draco from the mood swings I have. I felt awful afterwards as I really didn't have much control over them. Pregnancy hormones are terrible, but Draco seemed to have planned ahead now in case it happens as he doesn't look as shocked when I do snap.

However during my mood swings where I'm crying, he always comes to me and holds me close, whispering gentle things into my ear until I either stop crying or fall asleep. It has grown tougher now as my pregnancy advances, and Draco is watching over me, making sure I'm doing well.

It really warms my heart seeing how supportive he's been. I'm almost twenty-nine weeks along or six months. In only a few months, I'll be giving birth. The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was the pain I'd be in during the process of labor and birth. Who knows how long I'd be in labor for before I'd be ready to give birth.

Lately, I've been feeling the twins kick, which surprised me when I felt it for the first time. Draco was happy when I told him this and he eagerly asked if he could try to see if he could feel them kicking. The first few times there weren't any more kicks, at least when he was around.

Finally, after missing many chances, Draco finally got to feel them kick and he was ecstatic. It was so nice to see him smile so much. Many times after that, he'd feel them kick whenever he was with me and I'd tell him they were kicking.

Draco was still giving me kisses on my stomach, although I eventually pulled him up for a real kiss, which was passionate and loving. He's kissed my stomach more than my lips since getting pregnant, amusing, but honestly I enjoyed real kisses more.

Both of us couldn't wait for the twins to be born.

 **\- -Wednesday, November 9, 2005- -**

This was just too adorable. The babies were responding to Draco's voice and moving around. It was rather late into the night, but they were active and I was tired, but unable to sleep because of them.

Draco was rubbing my stomach and smiling as he spoke to them softly. "C'mon you two, stop making your soon to be mother so upset. Let her sleep." he coaxed. I felt them move under his hand, his smile getting bigger as a result. "They like you, Draco." I cooed, smiling fondly.

He laughed softly, moving up and giving me a kiss before wrapping an arm around me, his free hand on my stomach. I rested my head on his shoulder, inhaling his wonderful scent. "You smell like apple pie with vanilla ice cream." I whispered, giggling softly. He chuckled, resting his head on top of mine.

The twins were still moving so Draco continued to speak to them, and they moved again to his voice. I merely yawned loudly and spoke. "Please little ones, I need to sleep. Stop moving so much." I complained, closing my eyes.

Draco sighed as the twins continued to move and he helped me get into a more comfortable sleeping position and let me rest my head on his chest. Sleep was as usual, difficult for me and I did not like it at all.

 **\- -Wednesday, December 21, 2005- -**

Laughter echoed in our bedroom. The twins have been kicking more often and just minutes ago, Draco had been resting his head on my swollen stomach and he got kicked by one of them. Draco was currently laying on his side on our bed, clutching his cheek as he laughed hard.

I couldn't stop laughing at the look at his face when he was kicked. It was priceless. Tears brimmed in my eyes from how hard I was laughing. I honestly had no idea how long we laughed, but we were soon trying to catch our breath. Draco rolled onto his back, a grin on his face as he breathed heavily.

"I did not expect that." he breathed, running his hand through his platinum blonde hair. It's gotten a bit long on the top and it made him look so nice. I scooted over to him and played with his soft hair, the silky strands slipping through my fingers and falling back in place. He let out a pleased hum, his eyes closing. Smiling, I kept this up, watching his breathing slow until I knew he fell asleep.

Draco's mood always improved when I played with his hair. I just love how relaxed he looked when I do that. I smiled fondly at his sleeping form and kissed his forehead. He slept for about an hour before waking up.

I was feeling sleepy just from watching Draco sleep and he took notice. With a stretch and a yawn, I laid down as comfortably as I could and closed my eyes. I felt Draco pull a blanket over me gently and he kissed my head. It wasn't even late afternoon, but being kept up at night by the twins meant more naps during the day for me.

Draco woke me up when dinner would be ready in about two hours. Once, again, Draco rested his hand on my stomach. I smiled and put my hand on his, both of us leaning against each other, our sides pressed together.

We began to talk about how close I was to giving birth. Sometime next month between the fifteenth and seventeenth, I'd go into labor and give birth. We were excited to become parents and raise the twins. We already knew what we'd name them depending on their sex when born: Scorpius and Taurus or Lyra and Aurora.

My family and our friends would be coming next month on the thirteenth around eleven in the morning for the baby shower. I wanted it to be when I close to my due date so we planned with everyone and confirmed the day and time.

I was excited to see everyone and enjoy the time we'd all have together as we all wait for the day to come for me have the twins.

 **\- -Friday, January 13, 2006- -**

Excitement was what I felt for today. We'd be having my baby shower and everyone would be coming. Opal, Pearl, Midna, Lilia, even Harry and Hermione were coming. Lilia was currently pregnant with her second child and would giving birth in about two months so that was exciting.

Since I was due to give birth at any day now, I had to be careful. The Birthing Room was set up just last week and I could only prepare for the pain I'd be in when I go into labor.

Draco was helping me go down the stairs since I was heavily pregnant. Everyone would be arriving soon. There was going to be food and drinks for us, everyone said they'd have presents for the baby shower. I was personally glad that a bathroom was close to the Drawing Room as I constantly had the urge for the bathroom and it bugged me.

For about two weeks now, I've been laying in bed to rest myself as carrying twins has been rather hard on me and wearing me out. I only ever got up to either keep the blood flow going in my lower body or to use the bathroom. I just eat in the bedroom anyway which was nice at least.

Once I was settled on the loveseat, Draco sat down next to me and placed a gentle kiss to my forehead, a smile on his face. I smiled back and fiddled with my wedding ring out of habit. I took very good care of it and it still sparkled and shined as beautifully as it did on our wedding day.

Rubbing my swollen stomach and feeling one of the twins kick in response to my own amusement, I gazed over at the fireplace eagerly, excited for everyone to arrive. Draco wrapped an arm over my shoulder, scooting closer to me and whispering stuff into my ear that got me giggling softly.

No more than ten minutes later, the Floo began flaring up as one by one my family arrived, then Opal, Midna, Pearl, Lilia, Harry and Hermione arrived as well. I smiled and greeted them all, Mother coming over and hugging me with tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh Raven, I am so happy that you'll be a mother in a few days." she beamed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

I smiled more, looking at her happily. "I'm happy as well, Mother."

My brothers both hugged me, Leo commenting jokingly that if my stomach go any bigger, I'd probably burst. I laughed and rubbed my swollen stomach. Father hugged me as well, looking happy and proud.

Our friends all talked to us, catching on what we missed since the last time we saw each other. Harry gave me a side hug, congratulating me again.

The house elves popped into the Drawing Room (shocking Hermione) and provided the food and drinks, to which I thanked them happily and they went back to the kitchens. All of us talked, the presents they all brought were opened and they were wonderful.

I spoke to Lilia about her first pregnancy and how she handled everything. We got deep into that conversation for a few hours apparently. Midna and Opal were talking to Draco about something. I started to feel the twins kick so with a grin, I grabbed Lilia's hand and put it on my stomach. She squealed loudly. "Ohh, I can feel them!"

This got everyone's attention, much to my amusement. Draco came over and rested his hand on my stomach, grinning when one of them kicked his hand. He spoke softly to them like he usually did and I smiled at how they moved softly to his voice.

Another hour soon passed. I was watching Draco and Crow talk and while doing so, I felt a cramp go through me, making me groan rather audibly. Both of them looked at me in concern, Draco especially. "Raven, are you alright?" he asked. I nodded, waving it off as intestinal cramps, which strangely felt similar to my menstrual cramps.

The cramps went on for another hour until I suddenly felt a gush of warm liquid soak my panties. My cheeks flushed and I groaned softly in embarrassment. Before I could consider it to be an accident considering that my bladder is squished from being pregnant, a sharp pain radiated through my stomach, making me cry out in pain.

Draco stood up instantly and ran with Mother to me. Mother spotted the wet spot, her eyes indicating thought and her eyes widened. She looked over to Father and said, "Raven's going into labor."

I looked at her in shock. "What?! Oww!" I cried out, my eyes closing tightly in pain as a contraction hit. Crow came over and with Draco's help, they got me to stand. "We need to get her to the Birthing Room immediately! Father, call the Healers now!" called Crow.

Everyone was in a rush, Leo and Mother stayed by me as Crow and Draco helped me go up the stairs. Now I wish I had my baby shower in our bedroom instead of the Drawing Room. Lilia came with and told me to take deep breaths as we got to the room.

Everyone else had to keep their distance once the Healers determine when I am ready to give birth, but they would stand by for until then. Draco would stay by me as I deal with the labor pains and when I start giving birth for I would need the support through the pain.

The moment we entered the Birthing Room, I was changed into special clothes, which was kind of gown with buttons in the breast area that could open to allow me to breastfeed. I groaned loudly from another contraction as Draco and Crow helped me lay in the bed. The pain was bad, but boy was I in for a long ride.

The Healers arrived and Healer Lee was one of them. I smiled at him and the other Healer introduced herself as Anna. She checked me over and said I wasn't ready yet so she'd check in on me in another hour or so. She would be the one to help me give birth while Healer Lee would watch over the process.

Mother stayed in the room, wiping my forehead with a damp washcloth as the pain made me start sweating.

Draco near me, watching me with concern. A particularly sharp contraction hit and I cried out in pain. Draco jumped up instinctively, looking saddened by my pain. He looked up at my mother as he ran his fingers through my hair. "Is there anything to help with the pain?" he asked desperately.

She shook her head. "No. The pain will only go away after she gives birth." she explained. Draco looked crestfallen, his gaze falling to me. I was breathing heavily from the pain. Draco moved over to me and sat on the bed, wrapping an arm around me and gently held me to him. I leaned into his touch, digging my fingers into his shirt so tightly that the fabric would likely tear.

I felt Draco rub my side with his hand in a comforting movement. I whimpered loudly as another contraction went through me. I wanted the pain to stop. How could some witches handle having multiple pregnancies?

Draco held me closer as I continued to go through the pain for another hour. He braided my hair to keep it out of the way as I moaned in pain with each contraction that hit me. Mother continued to wash my face with the washcloth.

Healer Anna checked on me when I began to say that I felt an urge to push and she said I was ready. Draco had to get off the bed as I was prepared to give birth. Mother had to leave as only Draco could stay. He stood next to me, holding my hand for a moment before letting go, otherwise I'd end up squeezing his hand too tight.

She got ready and looked at me. "OK, take a deep breath and push." she ordered. I did so and pushed, tears brimmed in my eyes as pain ripped through my body. I cried out in pain as I pushed. It hurt so much and each time I pushed, the pain got worse. I didn't even hear Anna say that our first baby was crowning.

I nearly screamed when I finally gave birth. "It's a boy!" she announced as the sounds of crying was heard. I looked forward, panting heavily, in her arms was a baby with platinum blonde hair. Draco got the honor of cutting the umbilical cord and he had tears running down his face as he smiled. Anna placed the tiny newborn onto my chest to me see him. His eyes opened as he cried and large silver eyes showed.

I smiled happily, holding my hand to him and he grabbed my finger. The contractions were still here sadly. Healer Lee took the newborn to get him cleaned up and examined to determine his health and all that. We confirmed with Healer Lee that he would be named Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.

After about ten minutes, Scorpius was deemed healthy, I got to hold him for a minute before Healer Anna checked on me and said, "OK Raven, it's time to push again."

Draco took Scorpius and held him, tears brimming in his eyes again as he looked down at him, smiling happily.

Healer Anna looked at me. "OK Raven, take a deep breath and push!" she said. I began pushing, crying out from the pain. I wanted the birthing to end as I cried out in pain continuously this time.

After what felt like forever, I finally gave one final push. Crying was heard once more. "It's a girl!" she announced. I only caught a glimpse of our newborn before falling back in exhaustion. She had platinum blonde hair as well. The pain was finally gone.

I watched as Draco cut the umbilical cord again and our newborn was placed on my chest as she cried. Her eyes remained closed however. My gaze went to Draco when I heard him let out a choked sob. The look on his face was beautiful: Pure and utter joy was what I saw. Tears falling down his face as he smiled so widely.

His hopes for a daughter was granted and now he was overjoyed. Once again, Healer Lee took her to to the usual cleaning and examining and within a few minutes she was brought back over to me. I held her for a small amount of time before I handed her to Draco and he handed me Scorpius. I smiled at the tiny boy as he rested in my arms.

I heard Draco start sobbing happily as he looked down at our daughter. "She has your eyes, Raven." he sobbed, smiling fondly. I smiled even more. "What shall we name her?" I asked, looking at him.

"Aurora. Her name will be Aurora." he said fondly as she grabbed his finger with her tiny little hand. I nodded, having a little bite of energy now and began unfastening the gown so that I could breastfeed Scorpius. He latched on easily and began feeding. Draco looked up, noticing and handed Aurora to me. "Why don't you feed her as well." he said and I took her.

She started feeding as well, her eyes open and looking straight at me. I smiled when I saw that she indeed did have my eyes. They were emerald green, just like mine.

Looking over at Draco, I smiled happily. "What do you think of them, Draco?" I asked. He only said this, "Perfect, absolutely perfect."

Aurora and Scorpius fed for a little bit before stopping and going to sleep. I myself was exhausted and ready to sleep for days. Healer Lee and Healer Anna did some work and told me that I'd be on bed rest for the next six weeks to let my body recover from the birth.

Draco told me that he'd make sure to take care of the newborns until I was recovered. I smiled and nodded, yawning. I knew he'd be watching me like a hawk during my time of rest. He'd be the one to wake up at night when the newborns cry so I'd be able to sleep.

I was told about what would be happening to my body as it goes back to it's original state before getting pregnant. Mother came in with everyone else and said she wanted to stay by and make sure I'd do OK during this, but I told her just to let Draco know what to do for me. She agreed, albeit reluctantly since she was worried, like any mother would be.

Mother went ahead and told Draco everything and she told us both that she'd check in on us for the next few weeks while I recovered. Our friends admired Scorpius and Aurora and congratulated us on becoming parents.

Since I was exhausted and Draco wanted to take care of me, everyone except for my family would be leaving. I fell asleep just minutes before they left. Mother and Draco talked while I slept for a couple hours. I woke up mostly just to eat and went back to sleep for the night.

These upcoming months will be tough with Scorpius and Aurora waking us both up at night, but eventually they'll sleep through the night. For now, I must let myself rest while Draco takes care of the twins until I am recovered enough to aid him in caring for them.

((I will be honest with you guys: I was going to have Raven give birth to twin boys, but when I developed the headcanon that Draco has always wanted a daughter, it just stuck with me so I had to make that last minute change. Any reviews are appreciated.))


	24. Chapter 24

((My greatest apologies for the time it took to post this chapter, had so much trouble writing this that I started over on this chapter for a fresher start. Not very many events will feature the Malfoy twins due to difficulties writing about them, most will feature Raven and Draco. I am reverting my choice of having this story having 26 chapters back to the original 25 chapters. Sorry for that sudden change of mind.))

((I have a new, completed story up featuring Raven joining Hogwarts as a fourth year. It's called Raven Mancer and the Triwizard Tournament. It'll have a sequel written very soon so go check it out while you all wait for Chapter 25 to be posted, which may take longer than a month to write..))

((This story has reached 7,000 views.))

((Thank you samisina102317 for the two reviews.))

((Enjoy the chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 24: Raising the Twins- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -January 2006 to June 2006- -**

Draco was definitely a man of his word. He kept his eyes on me, making sure that I rest frequently while my body recovers from childbirth. While I was able to move around, I couldn't do a lot. I could wander the manor just fine, but carefully. He cared for the newborns most of the time as well.

At night, he took care of them, feeding or changing them when they cried, refusing to let me help him since I'd wake up as well upon hearing their cries. Due to losing sleep, he'd often nap during the day, sometimes he'd have either Scorpius or Aurora or both of them lying on his chest when he fell asleep, far too tired to take them to their crib. I had managed to get photos of these precious moments.

Since Draco was so tired during the day, I aided him in caring for Scorpius and Aurora. It took a long time for me to convince him to let me help, but he relented when I said that I'd only feed them if he brought them to me while I laid in bed. This worked out nicely, allowing me to bond with Draco and our twins, who sometimes looked at us when they weren't sleeping.

I could see just how much Draco loved Scorpius and Aurora just by how his eyes lit up, shining brightly and filled with love. He would place gentle kisses to their heads, and whispering that he loved them. They'd sometimes grab his finger whenever he held it out to them. It was a beautiful thing to watch him act this way.

Draco has been very affectionate towards me as well, holding me close and whispering sweet words into my ear, telling me things that made me laugh. Sometimes we'd lay together with Aurora and Scorpius in our arms, it was one of my favorite moments.

The many weeks that passed for me during my recovery was not pleasant, but I got through it, my body went back to its slim state, and I was able to do my usual routine again with ease. Draco cared for me during the whole process when he wasn't taking naps, or whenever the twins were sleeping.

I aided him at night when the twins cried, but I made Draco sleep for the first few nights this time so he could have energy. He did protest at first, but he gave in so easily from the weeks of lack of sleep that he was out like a light in seconds.

There were many, many precious moments. Some were more moments of Draco napping, often on the loveseat in the Drawing Room, and he'd have one or both twins laying on his chest again.

We both learned that they hated baths during the day, but at night we discovered that if we bathed them before we put them in bed, they'd fall asleep more easily.

Scorpius and Aurora grew steadily, slowly beginning to show more reactions. I loved the funny moments. Scorpius sometimes pulled a face when he got gassy or if one of us did something weird, Aurora stuck out her tongue a lot, which at some moments, Draco would mimic and blows raspberries. She even tried to do the same, but only got spit all over him and he'd make a face from being grossed out, but he'd laugh afterwards.

Draco and I wouldn't be working until the twins reached two years old so we had Severus working Potions, and Harry, to my shock, took over Defence Against the Dark Arts, while Lilia took care of their children. My mother said she'd watch over the twins when Draco and I began working again.

I was very glad when they reached the point where we'd not have to wake up in the middle of the night for them so we got a full nights sleep after this.

 **\- -Friday, July 21, 2006- -**

My stomach was hurting from laughing. Draco was acting like a complete dork to get the twins to laugh and it was working. They were giggling loudly as Draco made faces at them.

Scorpius and Aurora were just starting to crawl now so they were slowly beginning to go around places in whatever room we had them in. Sometimes I would hold one of them up so that their tiny feet touch the ground and they'd move their legs like they were walking across the floor. It was so adorable to watch.

I smiled when Draco grabbed Scorpius gently yet playfully and started tickling him, causing the tiny blonde to giggle loudly. I moved myself onto the floor and played with Aurora, blowing small raspberries, which to my surprise, she started mimicking successfully.

Draco chuckled, looking at Aurora for a few seconds before playing with Scorpius again. Aurora however, did not like that he was giving Scorpius attention and let out a loud whine, startling me and making Draco jump. She started crawling towards him, babbling in what sounded like an angry tone.

"Looks like someone wants attention." I giggled, watching Aurora crawl to Draco, who was chuckling in amusement. He picked her up, smiling and tickled her side, making her giggle loudly.

I watched in amusement, smiling at the sounds of Aurora giggling. Draco really showed his love for Scorpius and Aurora. Seeing him smile as they near a year old, and react more and more to everything is amazing. He looked so happy raising them and I enjoyed every moment of it, even if there were moments were raising them was difficult.

 **\- -Monday, December 25, 2006- -**

Scorpius' and Aurora's first Christmas. They were both active and crawling around so we had to make sure anything they shouldn't get into was it put away. They babbled a lot, playing together and often followed Draco and I on occasions. Draco was still acting like a dork, and I decided to call him out that as he played with them, which only resulted in Draco tickling me mercilessly while the twins giggled.

They got some cute toys, clothes, and other things. Scorpius had gotten a cute dragon plushie, and Aurora had gotten a unicorn plushie. Aurora let out an adorable squeal when Draco came in from the hallway after being gone for over ten minutes and she started crawling over to him. He chuckled, bent down, and picked Aurora up. "Did you miss me?" he cooed, smiling.

I smiled fondly at them as Draco walked over and sat down on the floor with me and Scorpius. Aurora was babbling and cooing, reaching her tiny hands at Draco. He smiled and started tickling Aurora, she laughed, wiggling her legs and arms.

Scorpius crawled over to him and put his tiny hands on Draco's knee, babbling. Draco chuckled and set Aurora down, who whined in response. I waved a small toy to Aurora and she quickly became interested in it. I giggled, watching her grab the toy and swing it around.

I heard a thump and then heard, "Oh!" from Draco, so I looked over and saw him with his hands covering his crotch as Scorpius laughed, in his hands was a big green ball. "Did he hit you in the family jewels?" I asked in amusement. He nodded, falling over to his side rather dramatically. "He got me good."

Giggling, I scooted over to him, resting my arms and chin on his side as he laid on the floor. Aurora crawled over, the toy in her tiny hand still, and she began to play with Scorpius. Draco chuckled softly, seeming to have recovered from the hit. "How are you feeling now?" I asked, leaning over him.

"Sore in some places." he grunted, rolling onto his back, knocking me over, which got him laughing. Scorpius and Aurora were giggling, but not from seeing me fall over. I sat up, giggling loudly, Draco was looking at me as he sat up as well, using his elbows to prop himself up.

" _Aaahhhhh!_ "

Both of us jumped, looking over at the twins when they began screaming at each other. They were fighting over a small toy so Draco got up and separated them. "Hey now, no fighting." he said, putting Aurora in his lap. Scorpius began crying, the toy long forgotten. I sighed, shaking my head and picked Scorpius up, grabbing his pacifier and putting it in his mouth, which stopped his crying.

Scorpius relaxed, seeming to become more content with his favorite pacifier. Draco wrapped an arm around me, pulling me to his side. Aurora was reaching up at Draco, a cute smile on her face, a bit of drool dripping down her chin. He was smiling as well, looking down at her. "I think someone needs their mouth wiped clean." he said, grabbing the drool rag and wiping her mouth. Aurora did not like this, her face scrunching up, but this only made Draco chuckle.

Since it was Christmas, my family wanted to come over to celebrate, which Draco and I were happy to accept. They'd be arriving later this afternoon around three. It would be my parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents. There was a chance that my brothers and cousins will come, but they might choose to be with their wives for Christmas.

Unfortunately, Narcissa completely cut Draco off last month, her views on me had turned more negative recently, and she didn't want to speak to him. Draco had been depressed for several weeks as a result. My family and I comforted him and he was able to distract himself with Scorpius and Aurora, who were always wanting his attention. At night I would talk to him and let him vent.

If Narcissa wasn't going to talk to Draco anymore then she has lost her only son due to her prejudice. And she'd never get to see her grandchildren either. Thankfully, we got through this and moved on.

It was eleven o'clock so there was time for Draco and I to do some stuff, let the twins have a nap, and I could get myself dressed up for the Christmas dinner. Maybe do some other things if we had time.

Scorpius was the first to start tiring out, and eventually he fell asleep on the floor while clutching a stuffed toy. I stood up, gently picked Scorpius up, and went straight to his and Aurora's bedroom, and set him in his crib, then went back to the Drawing Room.

Aurora was cooing and shaking the toy she had in her hand. Draco had her in his lap as she played, it was adorable. She was smiling too, as was Draco. He looked happy as she played. I've noticed that Aurora was fonder of Draco than me so it looks like she was a daddy's girl, something Draco was hoping for.

In fact, she would be awake and waiting for Draco in the crib when he went to see they were awake, and she'd always react happily to him. Little Scorpius was a late sleeper so I'd be the one to get him when he awoke, although some moments both would be awake so Draco take care of them both until I woke up.

It didn't take long for Aurora to tire out as well, and she fell asleep in Draco's lap. Draco took her to her crib, and with that, I allowed myself to plan out what to do first. I knew I needed a short nap, so that'd be done first. After I get up, I'll shower to freshen up, and then find a nice outfit to wear.

I went up to our bedroom with the intent of having the quick nap, while Draco went to get himself a cup of tea. The bed was so comfortable, and the moment I laid down on it I fell asleep.

About two hours later, I woke up, took a quick shower and got myself all dressed up, I was just getting my makeup redone when Draco came into our bedroom. He chuckled, looking at me. "You seem to be missing a sock." he pointed out in amusement.

I looked at my left leg, it was completely bare. Giggling, I raised my leg a bit, making the black nail polish on my toes shine in the light. "I may have gotten distracted with doing my makeup." I said, putting my makeup down on the nightstand and crossed my bare leg over my covered leg, looking around for my other thigh high sock, found it and put it on.

Draco came over, sat down on the bed, pulling me to him and placed soft kisses along my neck. "Mmm, we have a bit of time to ourselves. When was the last time we made love?" he whispered into my ear huskily.

I shivered at his voice, resting myself against him, my back to his front. "Before I got pregnant." I replied, tilting my head to the left, allowing him to bite and lick on my neck. He hummed softly in response, his hands roaming my body. "I've been wanting you for so long now." he whispered.

"Have you now?" I asked quietly. He responded by grabbing my hips and squeezing them, enticing a quiet moan from me. Of course he'd do that, the sly bastard!

"Yes. The animal inside me wants to ravage you in so many erotic ways." he purred, squeezing my hips, sending a familiar heat down between my legs. "Mmm, Draco, we can't. The twins, they'll be waking up soon.." I whispered, turning around to face him, but he just pulled me onto his lap. "Not for another hour at least." he whispered back.

I bit my lip nervously, thinking. Draco raised a pale eyebrow, looking at me. It has been a long time and the thought alone of being intimate again was making me feel hotter than usual. Even with an hour to spare, it was just too risky.

I shook my head, looking at Draco while getting off his lap and sat on my knees next to him. "Maybe later tonight, besides, I would much rather do this." I said, smiling evilly, and launched my hands onto his sides, tickling him.

Draco yelped, his body thrashing. "No!" he cried out as he started laughing. "This is revenge for all those years of tickling you did to me!" I said, tickling Draco mercilessly as he thrashed around. His laughter echoed in the bedroom, and it was music to my ears.

He tried to get me back, but he was now laying on his left side and in that position, he can't reach me as I was behind him. I couldn't stop giggling, watching him try to break free. "Please stop!" he begged, laughing.

"Why?" I asked, giggling.

"I'm gonna piss myself if you don't!" he replied. I immediately stopped, but started snickering softly. He laid on his back, panting and glaring at me. "And what is so funny?" he asked. I didn't answer, far too amused.

Draco let out a small huff, grabbed one of the pillows and whacked me in the face with it. I blinked a few times, then grinned and tackled him playfully. We rolled around on the bed, laughing and wrestling. Even at twenty-six years old, we still had our childish moments. I was suddenly pinned to the bed, but I only laughed more and smiled, looking at Draco.

He grinned, panting heavily. "That was fun." he said, falling down next to me. I nodded in agreement, rolling onto my left side to look at Draco. His eyes were closed, his chest now rising more steadily. "I could use another nap right about now." I said, yawning. Of course, that plan had to be canceled as one of the twins began crying.

I heard Draco chuckle. "So much for that extra nap." he said in amusement. Shaking my head, I left our bedroom, heading straight over to Scorpius' and Aurora's bedroom, and entered inside. I saw Scorpius standing up, his tiny hands on the railing of his crib as he stopped crying, looking at me. "Someone have a good nap?" I cooed, smiling.

Scorpius smiled, his few baby teeth showing. Aurora was still sleeping despite her brother's loud crying from just a few minutes ago. I walked over to his crib, bent down and picked him up. A foul smell hit my nose, my face scrunching up in response. "What is Draco feeding you?" I mumbled, taking him over to the changing table, and pulled my wand out, flicking it and the usual supplies hovered out.

Magic really does do well with these things. I was just getting Scorpius redressed when Draco came in, checking on me. "What are you feeding Scorpius, Draco?" I asked, now holding Scorpius, who babbled softly.

"The same food that Aurora eats, why?" he asked. I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I think you'll understand when _you_ will be the one to change him." I said, both of us leaving the bedroom, all while Draco had a confused look on his face. Scorpius had his tiny fist in his mouth, his large silver eyes on Draco. I smiled as we went down the stairs to the Drawing Room.

My family would be here in less than two hours. Still enough time to finish getting ready, and maybe relax some more if given the chance. I sat down on the loveseat, sighing softly. Draco sat down next to me, a smile on his face. Scorpius reached out for him, cooing so Draco took him and set him on his lap, smiling.

I smiled at the sight of them, watching Scorpius coo and babble at Draco, a bit of drool dribbling down his chin. Shaking my head softly, I grabbed a drool rag and wiped his mouth clean, which Scorpius did not like as he wiggled around.

Draco chuckled, leaned down, and began mock-biting Scorpius' belly, making the tiny blonde squeal and laugh. My cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling, it was too adorable. He suddenly blew a raspberry on Scorpius' belly, causing a louder squeal to erupt from him.

I looked in the direction of the hallway when the sound of Aurora crying was heard. Draco handed me Scorpius, who squirmed in my arms, likely not wanting to be held, and left to get Aurora. I went with Draco after putting Scorpius in his playpen, wanting to see Aurora's reaction to Draco.

"Aurora!" called Draco, the crying suddenly stopped. I smiled eagerly, watching him open the door, and I heard an excited squeal come from Aurora. "Hey, sweetie." he said happily, walking inside. I stepped forward and watched him approach her, she held up her arms to him, and he picked her up.

"How is my baby girl?" cooed Draco, his smile much bigger now. Aurora had the cutest smile on her face, her hands reaching up at him. He held his hand up and she grabbed his fingers, cooing at him.

"Why do I never have a camera for this?" I muttered softly, but Draco looked at me, still smiling. "Because there will always be better moments in the future." he answered, walking out of the bedroom and heading back down to the Drawing Room. I followed, looking at Aurora as she babbled at Draco.

Once we got to the Drawing Room, I sat on the loveseat while Draco put Aurora on the floor with the toys and went over to the playpen where Scorpius was, and then picked him up, bringing him over to Aurora where they both crawled around.

Draco sat down next to me, his arm going around my shoulder. I smiled, scooting closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. We watched the twins play for over twenty minutes, they babbled to each other and played with their favorite toys. Scorpius had grabbed his pacifier and put it in his mouth, which Aurora tried to steal, causing him to crawl away quickly. She whined loudly, chasing after him.

I giggled softly, watching Aurora chase after Scorpius, the small blonde went towards Draco, his large silver eyes wide. Draco leaned down and picked him up, grinning in amusement. "Is your sister scaring you?" he asked, chuckling. Scorpius merely looked down at Aurora, who was now sitting in front of Draco's legs and began hitting them with her hands, making me giggle.

Draco started laughing, amused by Aurora's antics. Scorpius was looking down at her as he sat in Draco's arms. I shook my head in amusement, looking for Aurora's pacifier. "Hey Draco, have you seen her pacifier?" I asked.

"No, I haven't." he answered. I looked back over to Aurora, who finally gave up hitting Draco's legs, instead she was looking up at Draco, a curious look on her face. Smiling, I rested my head on Draco's shoulder again, closing my eyes.

About six minutes later, my eyes opened abruptly when Scorpius suddenly sneezed, his pacifier flying out and landing Draco's chest. Both of us began chuckling, Scorpius only smiled, but then sneezed again, right on Draco's face. "Ewww!" he said in disgust, his face scrunched up.

I burst into a fit of giggles, falling onto my side and covering my mouth to stifle the giggles. "You think it's funny?" he asked and I looked at him, he was wiping his face off with a cloth charmed with a disinfecting spell. I nodded, giggling. Sure it was gross when he got sneezed on, but seeing Draco's face when it happened is what got me giggling in the first place.

I nodded, giggling harder. Draco's eyes narrowed and a smirk formed on his face, he put Scorpius on the floor where Aurora went after him to play. Draco grabbed me, one arm holding me in place and he began tickling me. I squealed and laughed, the twins, especially Aurora, giggled loudly at our antics. He only did this for a minute before stopping, as we had to keep an eye on the twins.

Smiling softly, I rested my head on Draco's shoulder as we watched them play. Aurora was playing with some blocks with Scorpius. They did this for about fifteen minutes, but I was shocked when Aurora hit Scorpius on the head with one of the blocks and he began crying. Draco leapt up, got to Aurora and took the block out of her hand. "Aurora Malfoy, you do not hit your brother with the blocks!" he scolded, picking her up and putting her in the playpen, and she began crying as a result.

I went over to Scorpius and held him, looking at the spot where he was hit. There was a small red mark, but no bump. Draco sat down and I joined him, holding Scorpius. Draco looked and saw the red mark. "My poor little boy." he crooned, taking Scorpius and holding him. Draco kissed Scorpius' head gently, causing Scorpius to look up at him with teary eyes. Draco held him close while I put all of the toys into a bin with a wave of my wand and brought them to the twin's bedroom.

Aurora had finally stopped crying by the time I came back down to the Drawing Room. Scorpius was looking much happier, he was cooing at Draco, a smile on his face. I smiled, walking over and sitting down next to Draco. We sat quietly together while Scorpius played in Draco's arms, occasionally putting his tiny hands on Draco's face while cooing.

I looked over at Aurora, she was standing up, her hands on the railing of the playpen and she was staring directly at us. Seeing that it's been long enough, I stood up, walked over to the playpen and picked Aurora up, holding her.

The moment I sat down, Aurora began trying to get to Draco, amusing both of us. Draco chuckled, looking at her and taking her while I took Scorpius. "Are you gonna stop being naughty?" he asked, grinning. She began giggling, a cute smile on her face. I smiled, watching them both. Draco began tickling her belly which got Aurora squealing and laughing.

The rest of the hours passed as I began making sure there were enough chairs and put extras in and soon enough, my family began showing up through the floo. Mother came up and hugged me, smiling fondly. "Oh Raven, it has been so long since we saw each other." she said.

"I know, Mother. It's been awfully busy for Draco and I with the twins. I mean, with them being more active now, we have to watch them carefully. Aurora and Scorpius tend to go back and forth with liking and disliking each other." I explained, letting Mother hold Scorpius. He smiled at Mother, cooing softly.

Father hugged me as well, nodded at Draco and sat down on the other loveseat where Mother sat with Scorpius. My grandparents and great-grandparents came in, greeted us and sat down, then my aunts and uncles came. I smiled widely when my brothers and cousins all came as well.

Aurora was still being held by Draco as she was rather uncomfortable by the sudden appearance of my family. Scorpius appeared to love being given all the attention. Leo was now holding him and blowing raspberries on his belly, making the blonde squeal and laugh.

Dinner would be at six, so about three hours from now. All of us got settled down, with Scorpius being given attention by everyone and Aurora looking around curiously, her green eyes scanning everyone. All of us caught up on what's happening since Scorpius and Aurora were born, all laughing and just overall happy to talk together. We let Scorpius crawl around on the floor, and eventually Aurora did as well, both of them playing.

I laughed while Draco held me close, his left arm wrapped around my side. The three hours passed smoothly with us all just talking, laughing, and watching the twins play. However, before dinner was ready, the best moment had come.

Aurora, now bored of playing, crawled over to Draco, looked up at him with her large green eyes and reached her arms out to him. Draco smiled and picked her up, setting her on his lap. She cooed softly, a big smile on her face as she, to our great joy, said her first word.

"Dada." she cooed. Draco's eyes went wide and tears of joy welled up in them. I covered my mouth in shock, looking at Aurora happily. It was so quiet now. Aurora actually said her first word in front of everyone. She said "Dada" again and a couple tears fell down Draco's cheeks. He looked so happy and overjoyed as he spoke to Aurora, his voice filled with pride.

Once the joy of witnessing Aurora speaking for the first time lessened, we all went to the dining room, the table had been made longer and more chairs were added. Draco sat at the main chair, I sat by him and Aurora and Scorpius were set next to us in their high chairs where we would feed them during the dinner.

Food of both British and Romanian types appeared, along with butterbeer and pumpkin juice as the drinks. We immediately began filling our plates with the delicious foods. Draco and I fed the twins with ease, and in between we ate our own food. Laughter echoed among the table as stories were told, jokes cracked, and more.

I nearly spat out my butterbeer at the joke Leo told, having to cover my mouth as I laughed. Draco and Father were laughing, both looking very amused. Leo was grinning widely, looking pleased with himself. Aurora squealed loudly, a big smile on her face as she wiggled her legs around in her high chair. I smiled, giving her another spoonful of her food, which she happily ate.

Dessert came and we ended up eating more than we intended so by the end of that, we were stuffed. We retired to the Drawing Room and sat down to rest ourselves. We talked for only twenty minutes until everyone retired for the night, saying their goodbyes, and left through the Floo. They would have stayed for an hour, but it was hard to stay awake after eating so much. Aurora and Scorpius were on one of the chairs, both of them asleep.

I went over to pick them up, intending to bring them to their cribs, but a pair of arms wrapped around me. I squealed and laughed when Draco suddenly lifted me into the air, his arms wrapped around me tightly. He leaned forward, kissing me softly and fell backwards onto the loveseat, making me break the kiss and I squealed in surprise, giggling.

"Draco, we gotta try to be quiet. Aurora and Scorpius fell asleep." I said quietly, looking at him.

"Well, then lets bring them to their cribs and stay in our bedroom for the night." he said quietly, smiling. I nodded and got up, fixed my clothes, and went over to the chair, picking up Scorpius while Draco picked up Aurora.

We went up to their bedroom and set them in their cribs, whispering goodnight to them both. Draco kissed Aurora's head gently, then did the same with Scorpius' like he did every night. I smiled fondly at his love towards them, it was so sweet.

We left and went straight to our bedroom two doors down, entered and closed the door.

 **((A/N: Moderate sexual content warning.))**

Only moments after I closed our bedroom door, Draco pinned me to the door, his eyes glistening with desire. My mouth went dry, unable to think of anything as a surge of arousal radiated through me and speared right between my legs. He leaned in, pulling me into a heated kiss, our bodies pressing together.

His tongue invaded my mouth, coming into contact with my own, and got into a intense battle. I could feel something rubbing against my thigh right about now, and it didn't take much thought on what that was. My cheeks were burning a dark shade of red, my body practically humming with arousal. The way Draco's hands rubbed my hips, squeezing and digging his nails into them softly, was making me dizzy.

We parted, saliva trailing from our tongues, and our pupils were blown wide. Draco suddenly moved, pulling me and pinning me to the bed, making me squeak in surprise. He was panting softly, and my eyes darted down to his lower body, and right there I could see his pants straining from what was inside.

He chuckled softly, leaning down. "You want it, don't you?" he asked softly, his voice was deep and seductive now, only making the heat between my legs increase. I nodded, swallowing, our eyes locked, both filled with a strong desire...

Nearly forty-seven minutes later, both of us were left a sweaty, panting mess, Draco pulled out and collapsed beside me. This had been the most intense sex we had ever had in our years together. Draco and I both got ourselves cleaned up and then basked in the afterglow while we fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

((Any reviews are appreciated.))


	25. Chapter 25

((Welcome to the final chapter of Draco Malfoy's Newfound Protection. It is short and sweet.))

((Thank you beth626 for the review, it made my day seeing it. And thank you to all of those who reviewed this and to future reviewers as well.))

((This story had reached 8,000 views, and I am honestly shocked that it getting so many views. Personally, I thought this story would not do well.))

((There is an important and long author's note at the end of this story.))

((Enjoy the final chapter.))

 **\- -Chapter 25: The End- -**

 **\- -Raven's POV- -**

Scorpius and Aurora had finally reached a year old. We had a small party for them, and they loved the cake we served. They ended up getting chocolate all over their faces, which took a good amount of time to wash off as they hated having their cute faces washed.

They have yet to start walking, but I had a feeling they would be walking very soon with all the standing they've been doing while holding onto something.

Draco and I were so eager to see them take their first steps. With Aurora now saying simple words, we knew there would be more exciting moments.

Draco and I were both sitting with the twins in the Drawing Room, their toys out all over the floor, which I was putting away the ones they weren't playing with into the toy bin so none of us wouldn't trip over any.

Scorpius was standing up again, using the end table as support, he was smiling and cooing at us. Draco spoke to him in a silly voice, making the tiny blonde giggle. I sat down on the loveseat, crossing my legs and watched Draco interact with Scorpius. Aurora was playing with the toys, not paying much attention to anything else.

I scooted closer to Draco, resting my chin on his shoulder. He turned his head to look at me, a smile on his face. I smiled back, wrapping my arms around him. "I still can't believe that they are both a year old now." I commented quietly, his hands moving to intertwine with mine. His wedding ring shined softly in the light as our fingers laced together.

He nodded, his focus going to Scorpius, who was trying to take a step, which got me watching in excitement. "I can't believe it either. I am still proud of you being able to get through the pregnancy and the pain of giving birth. It truly shows how strong you are, Raven."

I smiled, kissing his cheek lovingly. "I'm glad I got through it, but I don't plan on dealing with that again." I said, smiling when his cheeks turned pink. He let go of my hands and pulled me onto his lap, where I rested my head on his chest. I sighed contently as he wrapped his arms around me, my gaze focusing on Scorpius as the tiny blonde attempted his steps.

For a while, we watched, Aurora eventually sat with us after wanting attention and promptly fell asleep in my lap. Scorpius soon gave up trying to walk and went back to crawling, wanting attention as well so I had to move from Draco's lap to sitting next to him while holding a sleeping Aurora. Draco leaned forward and picked up Scorpius, setting him on his lap.

Scorpius fell asleep soon afterwards so Draco and I went ahead and brought them to their bedroom so they could have their naps. I yawned after leaving the bedroom, deciding I was going to have a nap as well, much to Draco's amusement.

"Tired already, Raven? It's not that late." he commented, following me to our bedroom, where I laid down in bed after kicking off my shoes. "I know, but I just feel like laying here all day." I said, closing my eyes.

He chuckled, climbing into bed and wrapped his arms around my midsection, kissing the top of my head. "You are the laziest wife I have ever had." he teased, smiling widely. I elbowed him in the stomach, glaring at him, but I was actually amused.

"Oh!" he grunted, doubling over and clutching his stomach. I started laughing, looking at him. "And you are the dorkiest husband I have ever had." I teased.

He looked at me, a playful glare on his face. "What did you call me?" he asked, sitting up and leaning closer to me, his hands slithering to my sides. I squeaked and squirmed away, but he grabbed me quickly and began tickling me once again.

I squealed loudly, wiggling under Draco. My hand reached up, grabbing a pillow and I whacked him hard on the head with it, making him yelp in surprise and messing up his hair in the process.

He laughed after recovering, looking at me. "What are you, five?" he said, rubbing the back of his head like it had hurt him. I only giggled and threw the pillow on his face. He blinked a few times before grinning evilly and tackling me, mock biting my stomach, to which I started laughing.

He kept this up until I begged for him to stop, which he did thankfully. For the rest of the day, we spent time together, and then not even an hour after dinner, Aurora took her first steps in front of us, Scorpius following not long after, much to our absolute joy.

I had cried a little witnessing this, and Draco looked very proud. They really were growing up fast.

 **\- -Time Pass- -**

These next several years went by smoothly, though with a few bumps. By the time Scorpius and Aurora were two years old, Draco and I went back to work. Mother offered to watch them until Draco and I could go back in the evening after dinner. It felt nice working at Hogwarts again, and several students were asking about the twins, some of the girls asking to see photos of them.

Draco enjoyed himself immensely with telling stories about our children when there was a chance during the school year.

We've dealt with the usual students who were very lazy or rude, and they got the appropriate punishments, but we've seen plenty who had potential.

At some point in 2007, Draco and I took Scorpius and Aurora to Harry and Lilia's house where our children could interact. During that time, Lilia pranked Draco with something called a fart machine, and I had way too much fun with that. Playfully accusing Draco while Harry and I laughed so hard that tears were in our eyes.

Many years after that passed with Draco and I working, raising Scorpius and Aurora, and much more. The twins grew up quickly. They were talking more, and by the time they were five years old we had them sleeping in their own bedrooms.

Aurora was definitely a daddy's girl, as she was always excited to see Draco come home from Hogwarts after working. Draco showed his love for both Aurora and Scorpius openly, always giving them attention when he had the chance, playing with them on weekends as well. I noticed Scorpius preferring my company over Draco's, but I could all ready tell that he looked up to Draco dearly.

One thing I realized just recently with Draco was how cool he was when I dealt with menstruation every month. Instead of showing discomfort, though he may show a bit of surprise when I suddenly tell him, I am usually very modest with certain topics, he'd instead ask if I needed anything. I'd only ask for something for the cramps, some chocolate and lots of cuddling when the cramps were at their worst.

He surprised me one day with a crate full of blood-replenishing potions. This version of the potion is special however, as it is made for menstruation, and helps with the cramps and back pain, along with replenishing any blood I lose during the process, I have a heavy flow for the first two days and I get very tired and weak as a result.

My love for Draco always grew stronger when he showed these acts of kindness.

At some point, Draco and I wanted to spend a few days alone together, so with a bit of work, Mother took the twins to watch them, and Draco and I took a portkey to Romania. I had been dying to show him my home country for years and now I had gotten the chance.

It had been wonderful to say the least. I showed him both the Wizarding and Non-Wizarding parts of Romania, even all the way to the part of Romania I grew up in.

We had many wonderful meals, to which Draco had a few too many moments of eating too much of the food, but he said he loved the food, and I could tell just by how he carefully filled his plate with one of each of the meals we had, and the look on his face when he took the first bite.

During the nights in a nice cozy cottage, we'd spend our time together snuggled up, Draco would have me sitting between his legs, with my back on his front, and he'd gently stroke my hair while whispering sweet things into my ear.

Upon coming back to Britain, Draco said we'd definitely be visiting again, but with Aurora and Scorpius when they are older. I agreed to that with a big smile.

We had tutors teaching Aurora and Scorpius the basics: math, reading, writing and more, but we'd sometimes tutor them ourselves when we had the chance. During the holidays, we'd stay home to spend time with Aurora and Scorpius.

As the years passed, they grew more and many times they'd beg to join us at Hogwarts, but they couldn't unfortunately, not even on weekends. Little Scorpius threw a tantrum over this and even threw something, which Draco had to give him a warning.

In 2010, during a day at Hogwarts, I had a free period so I had decided to go to the Potions classroom and watch Draco teach the current lesson the students were learning. I had entered the classroom and leaned against the wall with my arms folded to my chest, a warm smile on my face as he explained the potion the class would be doing.

He explained the risks if they messed it up, gave some warnings, and had them take notes. It was only twelve minutes later that he spotted me and chuckled, motioning for me to come up and join him at the front of the classroom, where I sat down and continued to watch him teach until he had them all start the potion.

In July 2015, when Aurora and Scorpius were nine, it had been a warm day so all of us had gone outside where Aurora swam in the pool with Draco and I watching carefully, and Scorpius flying on his broom, which was Draco's old Nimbus 2001.

Only several weeks later, we went back to Romania, and liked we planned, Aurora and Scorpius came with and they adored it. We ate plenty of the food there, with a few stomachaches happening, but it was a fun time.

Hogwarts was still a nice place to work, but Draco and I would spend the holidays at the manor with Scorpius and Aurora. They still asked if they could see Hogwarts, but the answer was still no, much to their dismay, but I must say that they are quite persistent.

One thing I absolutely loved seeing was Aurora running to Draco when we would come back from Hogwarts after a long day of teaching. She'd squeal, "Daddy!" and run up to him for a hug, and Draco would go down on one knee to give her the hug.

Scorpius would come to me and Draco, and usually we'd stay in the Drawing Room for a short time before going to bed to relax, with the twins coming with and laying with us for short period of time.

I would often braid Aurora's long blonde hair at night so her hair wouldn't be a tangled mess in the morning like Scorpius', even his short hair was huge mess and Draco would playfully tease me over how it must come from me.

In mid-2016, during the Easter Holidays, I had given Aurora and Scorpius some of my favorite chocolate candy that I loved as a teen, a kind that has an outer chocolate shell with a smooth chocolate center that melts in the mouth.

I remember introducing Draco to that candy for the first time, and he was hooked, looking like he had just experienced something wonderful. Even to this day I will see him having some of the chocolate as a small snack.

During these years, they've shown signs of accidental magic, which was wonderful to see.

 **\- -Thursday, July 28, 2016- -**

The day has finally come. Draco had asked earlier in the week if I wanted to go out for dinner for just the two of us. I agreed, eager to spend some time with him. We'd be going to Diagon Alley for a few hours since there was that restaurant we liked going to for our dates.

With that, we both took the Floo Network and floo'd to Diagon Alley. It only took a few minutes to walk to the desired restaurant and had a wonderful date. The food was perfect, and we talked for a good two hours.

I enjoyed every moment, and eventually we left and walked around Diagon Alley for about half an hour, stopping by a shop that I adored. However, after spending some time in there, I saw someone who I had not seen since Hogwarts..

Pansy Parkinson.

I almost didn't recognize her when I saw her. She had slightly longer hair that looked thicker, yet smoother. Her face was less pug-like and just more hard-faced. Her makeup was actually more professional if that's that right way to describe it. She even dressed more modestly. Overall, Pansy actually looked pretty.

I nudged Draco gently, looking at him. He looked at me, and I jerked my head in Pansy's direction. He looked over and his eyebrows shot up. "Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see her again." he said quietly.

Both of us looked at Pansy, and she then looked over in our direction. Her eyes dulled however, filling with guilt and regret, even tears welled up. She mouthed to us, "I'm sorry for everything." before leaving abruptly.

All I can say is that I am surprised she changed, but I forgive her. No point in holding a grudge now, it has been years since being Hogwarts students, and she's shown that she's changed just by her silent words and expression.

Once we came back from our date, around eight o'clock, I laid down on the loveseat with a relaxed sigh. Draco chuckled, putting his hands on his hips. "And what are you doing?" he inquired, raising a blonde eyebrow.

I smiled, resting my hands behind my head. "Relaxing."

He shook his head in amusement just as Aurora and Scorpius came running in and squealing excitedly. Aurora jumped into Draco's arms wile Scorpius hugged Draco's middle. I pouted softly. "What, no love for mommy?" I said sadly.

Both of them giggled and shook their heads, making Draco laugh loudly. I shook my head and covered my face with a throw pillow. I heard the twins giggling and one of them suddenly jumped onto my stomach, knocking the breath out of me as I gasped loudly, the throw pillow falling to the floor.

My eyes fell on Scorpius as he sat on my stomach with an innocent smile. I smiled back weakly while trying to catch my breath. Draco sat by my feet, with Aurora sitting in his lap, and wrapped an arm around Scorpius, pulling him back playfully. "Come here, you!" he said, grinning widely.

Scorpius squealed, giggling loudly as he fell backwards. I smiled fondly, sitting up and watching. Draco started tickling Scorpius' stomach, making him squirm and laugh. "Daddy, stop it!" he squealed.

I quickly moved away before Scorpius' flailing legs struck me and sat next to Draco. Aurora looked at me with her large green eyes and held her arms to me. Smiling, I pulled her onto my lap and began braiding a portion of her blonde hair.

Draco grabbed Scorpius and played with him in some sort of wrestling game, to which they ended up on the floor in the process, much to my amusement while braiding Aurora's hair. Aurora was giggling and clapping her hands as Scorpius managed to pin Draco, who laughed at being taken down by a ten year old.

Eventually they stopped, with Draco laying on the floor lazily, his arms spread out. Aurora, now with a few cute braids in her hair, got up and played with Scorpius by throwing the fallen throw pillow at him.

I stood up, held my hand out to Draco and he took it, letting me pull him to his feet. I squealed when Draco swooped down and picked me up in a swift move, holding me bridal style. "Draco!" I giggled, smiling and wrapping my arms around his neck. Aurora and Scorpius were gagging like they were seeing something gross and then ran off to their bedrooms, the throw pillow left forgotten on the floor.

Rolling my eyes, I ran my hand on Draco's cheek softly, letting my nails gently scrap the soft skin, the diamond on my wedding ring sparkling in the candle light. "Why don't we head to our bedroom for a little.. private time." I said softly, our eyes locking.

Draco grinned and still holding me, walked straight to our bedroom, where he cast a locking spell on the door wandlessly, and laid me on our bed. His pupils were wide as I looked into his eyes. A blush formed on my cheeks as I adjusted myself, then suddenly grabbed him by his coat. "Make love to me, you handsome man!" I demanded, grinning.

"Gladly." was all he said. Only forty minutes later, we fell asleep basking in the afterglow.

 **\- -Saturday, July 15, 2017- -**

"Mother, Father! Our Hogwarts letters! They came!" shrieked Aurora and Scorpius, both of them running into our bedroom where Draco and I were currently sleeping. We had a long night and were sleeping in longer, but I didn't realize it would be this much longer to miss the owl post.

Draco groaned softly and sat up, both of us watching the two over-eager twins jump into our bed. I smiled tiredly, rubbing my eyes and yawning as they bounced on the bed. "All right you two, calm down, let us wake up first." I said sleepily.

They both groaned and left the bedroom. Draco chuckled softly, wrapping his arm around me. "I suppose it's time to get up before they both try to jump into bed again." he said, grinning and kissing the side of my head before sliding out of bed. I sat up and yawned, stretching my arms and legs.

I went into the bathroom, brushed my teeth and hair, and then went back into the bedroom while Draco went into the bathroom to have a quick shower. I couldn't resist whistling at him when he had come out about twenty minutes later with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

He smirked, walking over to his dresser and grabbed a dark green, button down shirt with black pants, dark grey boxer-briefs and black socks, set them on the edge of our bed and let the towel around his waist drop to the floor. A blush formed along my cheeks, and I let out another whistle. "Nice view." I commented, grinning.

Draco started laughing hard as he got dressed. "In all my years of knowing you, Raven, I never thought I'd hear you say that." he said, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

"I know you are still hoping I say other things someday." I stated, folding my arms. He chuckled, getting in the shirt and buttoning it up before grabbing a black leather belt and threading through the loops on his pants and buckling it.

I had recently decided to stop putting on my makeup, as I felt it was no longer necessary. And, Draco told me such sweet things about me, which included my physical appearance, and I just felt my love become much stronger.

 **\- -Several weeks ago during the night- -**

I was laying in bed with Draco, it was late, but we had been busy planning out classes for when the term starts again, and for preparing Aurora and Scorpius for their first year, and we finally decided to call it a night.

Draco was holding me in his arms, keeping me close to him like he always did at night. I had mentioned only moments ago that I needed to buy more eyeshadow as I had begun to run low. He chuckled in response, causing me to look at him in confusion. "What's so funny?" I asked.

He looked at me, smiling. "Personally Raven, I think you are all ready beautiful without makeup. But I wouldn't mind asking why you choose to wear it?"

I smiled, giggling softly. "I like to make my eyes stand out. I'm not wearing makeup to make myself more beautiful, it's just a look I prefer and I feel like my eyes look more green with the black eyeshadow." I answered truthfully.

Draco stared into my eyes, I wasn't wearing my makeup as I had removed it. "I think your eyes all ready stand out without it. And really, I like being able to see your natural beauty."

"What is it about my appearance that you like?" I asked, curious about his opinion.

He smiled, putting his hand on my cheek and stroked it gently with his thumb. What he said nearly made me sob with happiness.

"It's more like your personality that increases your physical beauty. I knew you were beautiful when I first laid eyes on you, but when I got to know you, you just appeared to be even more beautiful than when I first saw you." he paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"You're more beautiful than a veela, and have a voice that would make a siren sound dreadful. Most people have a lovely appearance, but a dreadful personality. You are a rarity, Raven Malfoy, having both a beautiful appearance and a beautiful personality, and it is an honor to love a lady like you." he finished.

Tears of joy glistened in my eyes, my cheeks hurting from smiling. My heart was swelling with love that had grown so much stronger by his words.

 **\- -Present time- -**

I had no idea that I went deep into thought until a pillow whacked the back of my head. "Raven Malfoy!" called Draco, who was now holding another pillow. I looked at him, and giggled, grabbing the pillow and tossing it back where it belonged.

"C'mon, lets go see Aurora and Scorpius, they probably wanna have us see their Hogwarts letters." said Draco. I nodded, following him out the door and to the Drawing Room. Both the twins were sitting on the loveseat talking to each other quietly.

I spoke first, smiling widely. "So, did I hear right that you both got your Hogwarts letters?"

They nodded excitedly, holding said letters up. Draco and I sat down with Aurora and Scorpius, and read the letters and the lists that came with them. Draco then spoke. "Well, how about we all go to Diagon Alley today to get your supplies and wands?" he suggested.

Both twins squealed happily, nodding frantically. I laughed, enjoying their excitement. "Okay, then, we'll go, but we must eat breakfast first." I said, but Scorpius looked at me, guilt on his face. "Me and Aurora all ready ate breakfast, we were too hungry to wait."

"That's all right, Scorpius. You two wait here while your father and I eat, then we'll all go to Diagon Alley."

They nodded, and Draco and I went to the dining room and ate a good breakfast. Then we left with Aurora and Scorpius through the floo and for several hours, we went around Diagon Alley getting their supplies and their wands.

Aurora's wand shot out gold and silver sparks when it chose her, and Scorpius' wand shot out green and purple sparks when it chose him. They were both very happy with their new wands and were waving them around by the time we got back to Malfoy Manor.

It was heartwarming to see them all happy with their wands, and I knew they'd be getting more and more excited as the day for Hogwarts grew closer.

 **\- -Friday, September 1, 2017- -**

I couldn't believe it. Scorpius and Aurora were now going to Hogwarts today. They were very excited, practically bouncing in their seats as we ate breakfast. We would of course see them later tonight at Hogwarts with our jobs there and all. Breakfast went by slowly for the four of us, both Aurora and Scorpius eating and giggling in excitement.

I think time was passing by slowly for the both of them as they kept fidgeting, smiles on their faces. I couldn't help but smile as their excitement, I knew how that felt. I was very excited to see them go on the Hogwarts Express for the first time.

And I was so eager to see what House they would be in. Draco keeps insisting that they'll be in Slytherin, like the rest of the Malfoys were, but I had insisted that Aurora would likely be in Hufflepuff for her kindness and loyalty, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was in Slytherin or any other House for that matter.

They finished their breakfast very quickly and excused themselves from the table, running off to probably pack any last minute things.

I smiled fondly, looking forward to showing them where Platform nine and three-quarters was, going though the barriers between nine and ten and seeing them leave on the Hogwarts Express.

Draco took my head gently, stroking it softly with his thumb. Grinning, I spoke to him absentmindedly as we finished eating our breakfast before heading to the Drawing Room to wait for the time to come for us to take the twins to Kings Cross.

We watched as Aurora and Scorpius ran around the room laughing excitedly. Time seemed to go by slowly for all of us as we waited for it to be time to leave.

But finally, the time came, and with a call to the twins, we all left Malfoy Manor and to Kings Cross station. We met Harry and Lilia, along with Hermione and Ron, who all had their kids with them as well.

We all took turns going through the barrier and got onto Platform nine and three-quarters. Aurora and Scorpius were looking eager to get on as we had their stuff put on the train. I took the moment to hug both Aurora and Scorpius. "Your father and I will see you when you at Hogwarts tonight." I said, smiling widely.

Draco then hugged them, also smiling. "Both of you will do well in the classes. I'll make sure of that." he said.

They both smiled and got onto the train. After a few moments, we saw them stick their heads out the window with huge smiles and they waved at us.

Draco and I waved to them, tears in my eyes as the train began leaving the platform. I felt Draco put his hand on my side, holding me to him. I couldn't wait to see them later this evening at Hogwarts.

Everything was well for us all.

((And there we have it, completed at last!))

((I want to take this moment to explain why I started this story. It's simple I think, and I won't go into too much detail.))

((It was mainly to give myself closure over Draco's real life. I felt that Draco deserved a better ending, hence my plans to create Raven Mancer and this story itself in mid-November 2018. I wanted him to not only have that better ending, but to have a real friend and a future wife who would not die later on. He'd be happier, kinder, and a much better person by the end. And he'd have a wonderful wife who gave him the chance to know what it is like to have a friend and be in love.))

((Truth be told however, this entire story needs to be rewritten. I want to give it a much better look and it'll be written much better than before. As this story was written when I first got back into Harry Potter all the back in November 2018, I made a lot of errors. I had never read the books at the time, only going by the info seen in the wikia and movies.

So my plans are to rewrite everything, it will be the same, but more will be added, several major changes will be done to give this a whole new look, but still be familiar, even gives certain things a new meaning.

I feel like some things were done too much so I will tone them down, and anything that would be a filler will be removed or made less of a filler. New content will be added, I will be giving more screen time to Raven's family, when that happens is unknown as I type this.

Raven and so much about her was not fully developed when I made the first few chapters. I want her character to be seen better and there are things about her family I never added due to their limited appearances.

So much was mentioned by Raven, things she said would happen but never did either because I likely forgot about it, which happens a lot, which I am not proud of.

Don't fret as most of the content here will simply be put in, just better planned out, more detailed, and stuff.

Although when I get to the chapters featuring Scorpius and Aurora, it'll be a problem as writing about them is _waaay_ too difficult, so the chapters featuring them will likely be similar to Chapter 24 and this chapter. Honestly, I do not like kids, I hate them, they stress me out in real life so writing about kids is much more difficult.

Another thing, I will not post the rewrite until it is either completed or nearly completed, by nearly completed, I mean to the chapter that features Raven's pregnancy and birth of Scorpius and Aurora, it will be posted separately and once it's completed, this story here will be removed entirely. This will give me time to write it out properly and add in anything I might've missed or forgotten before posting the chapters.

Another reason for that is because I am unsure if I can finish an entire rewrite of this story, and because I can edit the chapters before they are posted so I won't need to worry as much.

Oh, I just recently got a Ao3 account which will have the rewrite as well, but again, I won't post it until it is nearly complete.))

((The rewrite itself all ready has one chapter completed and the second in progress. Believe me when I say it'll be much better, albeit I may still have some errors, but that can be fixed if anyone gives me notice.))

((Anyway, I will see you guys in the next Harry Potter fanfic, which will feature Raven and Draco.))

((Any and all future, positive reviews are appreciated. And thank you for reading this story.))


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